


There, I Shall Hear You

by TerraCody



Series: Future Love of My Life [3]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Blood and Violence, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions/Golden Deer Joint Route, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route Spoilers, Headcanon, Love Confessions, Post-Timeskip Battle at Gronder Field (Fire Emblem), Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:28:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 30,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25589077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TerraCody/pseuds/TerraCody
Summary: Sequel to Forgive My Lips for the Bitter Words. As Fódlan falls to ruin from war, Claude and Hilda meet again on the battlefield. Despite old wounds and different obligations, they cannot deny the love that they feel for each other. But will it survive the war?
Relationships: Hilda Valentine Goneril/Claude von Riegan
Series: Future Love of My Life [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1817791
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Fire Emblem: Three Houses and its characters are the property of Intelligent Systems, Koei Tecmo, and Nintendo. Here is Part Three, the finale of Future Love of My Life. You know what to expect by now from this series so I won’t waste time with warnings, but I hope that you enjoy.

Chapter One

_The air stank. It was so sour that it burned her nostrils and made her gag. Hilda Valentine Goneril coughed and plugged her nose. “Ugh...what is this place? Is this a swamp?!”_

_”What’s the plan, my friend?”_

_Hilda jumped slightly and looked to her left. She relaxed slightly when she saw Claude von Riegan standing there. He wasn’t looking at her, but rather at the landscape in front of him._

_But his words confused her. “Huh? What do you mean, Claude? Did you lead us here **without** a plan?”_

_“I thought you’d say that,” Claude answered, nodding. “And of course, I’ll be joining you.”_

_Hilda blinked once, and then twice. “‘Joining me’? Claude, we’re already here. Wherever here is.” She looked around for their allies, and her heart sank when she saw that they stood there alone. “Claude, was it wise for just the two of us to go on a mission to a place we’ve never been to before?”_

_“What about the rest of you?” Claude was speaking as though she wasn’t talking to him, and he folded his arms over his chest. “Our enemy is a monster of legend. As always, there’s not a shred of proof that we can win.”_

_”Claude, what are you talking about?! There’s no ‘rest of us’! Everyone left us, remember?! It’s just the two of us! And what do you mean ‘a monster of legend’?” Hilda quickly became uneasy, and her eyes widened when she saw the bow that Claude had slung across his back. “Claude...is that a Heroes’ Relic?! That’s your family’s Heroes Relic! Why do you have your Heroes’ Relic with you?!” She looked down and she cried out in horror when she saw (and felt) the pulsating Freikugel gripped in her right hand. “W-Where did I get THIS?!” She looked back up at Claude. “Claude, what...what have you done? What kind of mission did you sign us up for?!”_

_“It’s finally time. That’s right. I’m confident we have what it takes to win.”_

_Claude’s unwavering confidence was greatly reassuring to Hilda, but she couldn’t suppress her panic. She reached out and touched him on the arm with her free hand. “Claude, you’re scaring me. You’re really scaring me. Please just stop for a minute and tell me what’s going on!”_

_“Let’s defeat this dusty old King of Liberation and an end to this history of lies!” Claude declared, pumping a fist. “Once we’ve done that, there’ll be nothing holding us back! A new and brighter age will begin!”_

_Hilda was started to hyperventilate and she looked around frantically. “Claude—”_

_”Let’s go, my friend! Fódlan's new dawn awaits!” Claude surged forward and ran into the smoky swamp._

_”Claude, WAIT!” Hilda shrieked. She hoisted up Freikugel and raced after Claude. She stayed on dry ground, but she saw the bubbly blue swampy water. It was hissing and the air felt acidic around it. “Claude, please be careful! This swamp isn’t normal!”_

_Claude had thankfully stopped ahead at the edge of dry land. The swamp spread out ahead of them. Hilda heaved for breath as she caught up to him, and she grabbed a fistful of his sleeve. “You...You’re not going anywhere, you dastard! Not until you tell me what’s going on!”_

_”It looks like we’d better not get near that swamp,” Claude observed. “Try to avoid it during the fight!”_

_”That does it!” Hilda shouted, yanking him back hard by the arm. “The mission’s cancelled! We’re going back to Garreg Mach NOW!”_

_”Hilda, let me go!” Claude suddenly yelled. “He’s spotted us—I need to aim Failnaught!”_

_”Wait, who?!” Hilda’s head snapped around and she looked in the direction Claude was pointed. The swamp was still smoky, but...but in the poisonous mist Hilda saw **red eyes**. “Oh,” she whimpered, and she began shaking. She wasn’t usually scared in battle, but an unexpected fear gripped her body and she couldn’t get rid of it._

_”Hilda, let me go,” Claude said again, his voice a little calmer. Hilda quickly nodded in understanding and withdrew her hand—but it wouldn’t budge. She looked down and her eyes widened when she saw her hand fused to Claude’s arm in a tight grip. She tried to pull it off and let him go, but her hand wouldn’t release him. Her panic quickly mounted and she dropped Freikugel unceremoniously to the ground and tried to pry her fingers off. They still didn’t budge. “I-I can’t let go of you!” She shrieked._

_”What?!” Claude now sounded panic and he tried to pry her hand off him with her free hand. “Damn it Hilda, let me go! This is my right arm! I’m right handed! I can’t wield a bow without my arm!”_

_”I’m trying, I’m trying!” Hilda was becoming more hysterical as they both tried to break him free from her. She looked towards the fog and saw that those red eyes had gotten closer to them. She looked away briefly, and when she looked back at those eyes they were now close enough that she could see that the whites of the eyes were pitch back. “Oh, my Goddess,” she whimpered._

_Claude looked up and cursed. Hilda lunged for Freikugel and hoisted it up. “I-I have to cut my hand off!” She shrieked. “It’s the only way to to free you!” She was so frightened and so desperate to get away that this sounded like a rational decision. Her breathing was loud and hysterical as she raised her family’s axe._

_”Hilda, NO!” Claude hollered, grabbing the hilt of Freikugel with his free hand. “Don’t you DARE cut your hand off!”_

_”I can live without my hand, but I can’t live without you!”_

_Claude blinked. “What?”_

_Hilda stilled and looked at him in shock. She...she just said that out loud._

_An inhuman, echoing roar sounded from the direction of the black-red eyes. Both Claude and Hilda turned towards the sound. Hilda saw the blur of black-red, and a familiar chain of light. “CLAUDE!” She shrieked._

_Claude slammed into her, pushing her out of the way, and only then did her hand release him. She flew backwards and she screamed in horror and anguish when she saw the sword-whip strike Claude, sending him flying backwards. Hilda scrambled across the dirt on all fours, tears spilling down her cheeks as she wheezed and screamed._

_She made it to his side, and to her immense relief saw that his clothes were only singed and there were no physical injuries. He just looked dazed. “Claude—” Hilda reached out to touch him, when multiple hands seized her from behind and slammed her face-first into the dirt. She saw stars as her head smacked against the ground, but she screamed in rage as she felt hands grabbing at her. She tried to look up but only saw faceless silhouettes all around her. She tried to raise Freikugel, but she screamed in pain when one of the silhouettes brought their foot down on her wrist. The foot stomped on her wrist repeatedly and rapidly, and Hilda felt bone after bone break with each stomp, until her hand was forced to let Freikugel go. The silhouettes surrounded her Heroes’s Relic and they disappeared into the mist of the swamp._

_Hilda felt like she’d lost her lifeline._

_A hand gripped her hair by the scalp and pulled hard. “AHHHHH!” She shrieked. She tried to sit up, but she was held down. The hand twisted her head painfully, forcing her to look to her right whilst lying on her stomach. She saw her broken, twisted right hand and she whimpered at how horrifying it looked. But her horror at the state of her hand quickly faded when she looked beyond it._

_Claude was centimeters from her, lying on his back. He was so close she could almost reach out and touch him, but a foot pressed down on her broken hand in warning._

_Hilda then realized that there was a foot on Claude’s chest._

_She looked up, and she saw the black-red eyes on the body of a beast of a man. He was muscular and scarred, long silver hair and long silver beard, but his skin was gray and sunken. He looked like a corpse. When the beast man breathed, it was guttural and inhuman._

_”Hmm,” the beast man said, and he dug his boot into Claude’s chest. Claude struggled underneath the foot, but he couldn’t sit up. “Leave him alone!” Hilda shouted._

_The beast man raised his right hand, and Hilda gasped in shock. He was holding the Sword of the Creator. Or, at least it **looked** like the Sword of the Creator. The color was wrong; it was a dark and evil-looking weapon. Hilda looked at Claude, but Claude was looking at the beast man above him, his eyes wide with horror. _

_”Feeble creature,” the beast man said. He pointed the tip of the evil-looking sword right at Claude’s face. “Prepare to die!”_

_“No!” Hilda shouted. She tried to sit up, but she was overpowered by the silhouettes and forced back down on her stomach. The hand gripping her head held her head still, not letting her turn her head away. “Help! Somebody help us!” She shrieked, but she knew it was futile. They had no allies with them. Their allies had left Golden Deer._

_They were alone. All alone._

_Claude also struggled, and tried to push the foot off of him, but hands materialized from the growing darkness around him and pinned his arms to the ground. One lone hand reached out and gripped his hair, forcing him to turn his head to look at Hilda._

_”C-Claude,” Hilda wheezed, unable to stop crying. “Claude, look at me. Look at me!”_

_Claude did open his eyes to look at her, but at that moment the tip of the sword touched his temple. Hilda’s breathed hitched as she saw his face twist up in pain and he screamed as the blade dragged straight down his face, drawing a line that quickly began gushing blood. The beast man cut Claude’s face straight down to his jawline. Hilda was screaming along with him and struggling violently but she couldn’t move. He was so close to her fingertips, but she couldn’t touch him._

_And it wasn’t enough that the beast man cut his face. Then he began scraping the side of the blade against Claude’s cheek, and Claude screamed louder and harder as the skin from his face was peeled off him, further mutilating his face. “Stop it!” Hilda shrieked. “STOP IT!”_

_The beast man finally withdrew the blade from Claude’s face. Claude stopped screaming and he had closed his eyes. Hilda was horrified at the damage to his face. She could see his cheekbone and jawline and he was gushing blood. She was sobbing but she tried to keep her tone reassuring. “I-It’s okay, Claude! It’s okay! It looks fine! I love you no matter how you look!” Her breath hitched, and a cold chill fell over her body._

_She just told him that she **loved** him._

_Claude understandably didn’t respond to her love confession, and Hilda too forgot about it in seconds. The beast man removed his foot from Claude’s chest, but Hilda screamed when he reached down and ripped Claude’s shirt down straight down the front of his body. “No!”_

_Claude struggled, but the hands held him fast. He looked up at the beast man, his breaths coming out fast and hard through clenched teeth as the beast man pushed aside his tattered shirt and exposed his chest. Then he stood over Claude, feet on either side of Claude’s hips, and he raised the sword again. “Leave him alone, you bastard!” Hilda yelled. She bucked and struggled, but she couldn’t get up. She couldn’t shake off the hands that held her down._

_The tip of the sword touched Claude’s chest. Hilda cried and screamed, snarling in anguish as the sword cut a diagonal line straight over his heart. “Please don’t kill him! I’m begging you, please don’t do this!”_

_Claude didn’t scream this time, but his bloodied face was full of pain and dread. The beast man lifted the blade briefly, but then touched it back onto his skin to cut another diagonal line to crisscross over the other, the center directly over his heart. “Kill me instead!” Hilda wailed, sobbing hysterically. “Please kill me if you have to kill someone! Please, please! PLEASE DON’T KILL HIM!“_

_”H...” Claude was gurgling on his own blood. “Hilda—”_

_Right before her eyes, the beast man slowly sank the blade of his sword into Claude’s chest._

* * *

Hilda woke screaming and sobbing, her arms flailing as she threw punches into the empty air. She lost her balance and fell out of bed, her shoulder slamming into the yellow carpet while her legs remained tangled in the bedding. She nursed her shoulder absently as she rolled onto her back to stare at the ceiling. The room was still dark. Her breathing was ragged and her nightgown was soaked with sweat.

She raised her right hand, and tested the bones in her wrist with her left hand. It was unbroken and didn’t hurt. She collapsed back against the floor and pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes as she tried to calm herself. _It was a dream. It was just a horrible, horrible dream. It wasn’t real..._

The images swam together behind her closed eyelids regardless, and she choked on a sob as she saw the last image of that blade sinking into Claude’s body while he choked and convulsed. He’d coughed up blood and his beautiful green eyes bulged out of his skull—

”Mmm!” Hilda groaned, and curled into a fetal position on her side as tears stung her eyes. “ _Claude..._ ”

It had been a nightmare; not reality. But the sense of loss that pulsated in her heart frightened her. It scared her how quickly and abruptly she came to realize that she didn’t want Claude to die. That she couldn’t live without him.

_I love him. Oh, my Goddess I love him. I’m completely in love with him. Oh Goddess, what would happen if Claude found out? Our relationship is **not** going to work out in the end! I knew this from the start, and I still fell in love with him! He’s not going to marry me, and I know my loving him isn’t going to change that! My parents and brother will certainly never let me marry him!_

Hilda sat up and scrubbed at her face. “I have to see him,” she decided out loud.

The sun hadn’t risen yet but this didn’t stop her desperation as she ripped her nightgown off and pulled the drawers out and onto the floor, scrambling to find her uniform. It was the sixteenth of the Red Wolf Moon, their free day. It was early but she _had_ to see him!

She yanked her boots on so hard that her leggings wrinkled under her feet but she didn’t care. She quickly brushed her hair and tied it up in her two pigtails, though she was certain she still looked a mess. She opened her door and flew into the hallway—and ran straight into Felix Hugo Fraldarius.

”Watch where you’re going!” Felix snapped, though one eyebrow was arched. He was probably surprised to see her up so early. Judging from the practice sword tied to his hip, he was undoubtedly on his way to the Training Grounds.

”Sorry!” Hilda said quickly, not caring about his tone. She ran up the hallway towards Claude’s room, hearing a noise of disgust from Felix behind her. She didn’t give a damn about his judgmental attitude. The only thing that mattered to her in that moment was Claude.

Hilda reached his door, but she still hesitated in front of it. Her breathing was harsh and panicked, not unlike her dream. She recalled witnessing Claude be tortured and mutilated right in front of her, and being unable to help him. She felt nauseas at the memory of her nightmare, and she pressed a hand to her mouth. She closed her eyes and did breathing exercises through her nose, willing herself to not vomit. When she felt that she was sufficiently calm, she quickly glanced around to make sure no one was around. Felix had already left anyways. She quietly opened Claude’s door and slipped into his room.

Claude’s room was still dark as the sun hadn’t yet risen, but she saw natural light from outside illuminate through the window and wash over his face. His perfect and unwounded sleeping face. His mouth as slightly open as he slept, and his chest rose and fell steadily with his breathing. Hilda gasped in relief, and collapsed back against his door. He was all right. She _knew_ that he was all right, but the confirmation of seeing him unhurt and safe was overwhelming. She closed her eyes and almost burst into tears again, but she kept the tears at bay.

_Oh Goddess, he’s all right. I can’t believe I had such an awful nightmare. It was so frightening watching someone hurt him and be unable to help him. Goddess help me, I love him so **much**..._

Hilda had believed in love, but she had never believed that falling in love would ever happen to her. Why would it, when no one actually wanted to _be_ with her? When the restrictions her family placed on her made it impossible for her to hope to fall in love and marry? But she loved Claude. She knew that now after her mind conjured up those disgusting images of his violent murder. She loved him and she wanted to protect him. She wanted to keep him safe from the ugly evil in the world.

She just wanted to _be_ with him. Even if she knew that it was impossible.

She slowly opened her eyes and saw that Claude was now wide awake lying in bed. He was staring at her, his expression confused. Hilda had to wonder what she looked like to him in that moment and she tried to smile reassuringly at him. But the motion of trying to force her mouth into a smilie was physically painful, and she imagined that her expression had to look like a grimace.

Claude’s expression softened. He smiled at her, and her heart lit up when she saw that smile. He wasn’t wearing one of his masks; she was certain this was a real smile. Seeing him smile at her made her own smile relax on her face. He pushed the covers off of him, bunching them up on top of the books on his bed. He didn’t say anything, nor did he beckon her, but she saw in his eyes what he wanted to say. _Come to me._

Hilda launched herself from the door and jumped onto his bed and straddled Claude’s body. She kissed him hard, and she groaned as she savored the familiar taste of his mouth. In an instant her body felt tight with need, and she was desperate to feel Claude inside her that she frantically pulled his pajamas off him. Claude was both surprised and delighted with her enthusiasm; he yanked her blouse up over her head so hard that he almost pulled her skirt up over her head too. She kicked off her boots and leggings and soon they were both naked. She grasped him in her hand, and her pulse quickened by how hard he already was, and she stroked him quickly. He groaned against her mouth and she panted her desperation against his. She was so emotional that she was almost crying all over again, but she held him in her hand and leaned over him. She slammed herself down hard over him, and she gasped throatily as her body stretched around Claude welcomingly. Their hands moved quickly though, as they had done so frequently before, and they covered each other’s mouths.

Hilda was less focused on satisfying her own pleasure and more focused on just being _joined_ with Claude. But feeling him slide in and out of her body so _smoothly_ , his length hard and full inside of her, felt so _good_ that she lost control of herself. She rode him hard, her hips moving so fast against him that her own fast motions were making her breathless. Despite having just woken up Claude’s stamina was excellent; he rolled his hips and met her hard and fast thrusts with equal speed. Their frantic movements caused his bed to squeak loudly but in the moment Hilda didn’t care.

_I love you. I love you so much!_

Claude’s breathing quickly changed underneath her hand, but Hilda was so lost with feeling him inside her that for a fleeting moment she didn’t care and continued moving on top of him. She was startled back to her senses though when Claude suddenly grabbed her hips hard and pushed her off of him. No sooner did her slide out of her body did he arched his head back and shouted against her hand. Her eyes widened when she saw him climax and spill himself on his belly and chest. His grip on her hips stung a little, but she didn’t notice.

_Oh. Oh, my Goddess! H-He almost released inside me!_

She was scared at the close call, but she was also ashamed at the disappointment she felt. She shook her head furiously as his grip on her hips relaxed. _No! I can’t risk getting pregnant! No matter what I feel for Claude, if we conceived a child it would cause a scandal and ruin not just the both of us, but both of our families! And even if I got pregnant with his child, Claude wouldn’t magically fall in love with me! He might end up resenting me!_

Hilda looked away as Claude struggled to catch his breath. She saw her skirt on the floor and fumbled through the pockets. She withdrew her handkerchief and looked at Claude. She liked this handkerchief; it was expensive but it was made of good material and the fabric had an uncanny ability to hold onto pleasant scents. She looked towards Claude, and her breath hitched. For a brief moment her nightmare came to life and she saw the ‘X’ cut directly over his heart, his body covered with blood—

She blinked again, and the image was gone. Claude’s chest was unwounded, and instead of blood it was covered with sweat and his own spent. Hilda swallowed thickly, and leaned over him. She used her handkerchief to clean his chest, and for a moment her hand lingered over his heart. She was comforted by the steady thumping of his heart and she moved downwards to clean the torso. She saw the muscles in his abdomen stiffen and she looked up to meet his gaze. He looked stunned that she was cleaning him with her own handkerchief, and his eyes were full of embarrassment and shame. Hilda pretended not to notice it and didn’t bring attention to it as she finished cleaning him up. Despite his embarrassment, Claude didn’t stop her from cleaning him.

She got out of bed to throw the handkerchief out in the waste basket underneath his desk (because she knew that there would be no salvaging it), and she tried to ignore the discomfort in her lower body. Their sex had ended so quickly that she hadn’t finished, but it didn’t matter to her. She didn’t sleep with Claude this time for her own sexual satisfaction. She had wanted relief and comfort from that horrible nightmare, and being joined with Claude, even for a little while, had given her the reprieve she had needed. 

_It’s uncomfortable, but I don’t need anything more now._

But Hilda didn’t think about how observant Claude was. The moment she returned to his bedside he launched up and grabbed her by the wrist. It startled her so she didn’t react when he pulled her down onto the bed and back on top of his body. Her eyes rolled back and she gasped as his mouth enveloped one of her full breasts and began sucking and licking the nipple frantically. Her hands slowly slid underneath his pillow as one hand fondled and squeezed her other breast and his other hand quickly slid down her body towards her groin. “Mmm!” Hilda quickly retrieved one hand to press over her mouth as the tips of his fingers rapidly stroked her aching nub in a circular motion. She quickly rocked her hips to match the motions of his hand. Despite her earlier self-reassurances that she didn’t need more, her body reacted with full enthusiasm at being attended to so fully. His fingers slipped down lower, and her heart thudded when she felt his fingers spread wide and his middle finger press against her. She gasped hard against her hand and she kneeled over him, spreading her legs wide as his finger slipped into her body.

The motions of his hand were quick, as though he knew her body needed the satisfaction quickly. Claude had stopped kissing her breasts and was now watching her face, his other hand idly pinching and pulling on a standing nipple, but Hilda kept her eyes closed as she thrusted her hips downward, matching the movements of his finger quickly. It felt good, so very good—her body clenched and quivered with pleasure with each motion.

 _I—I want to touch you._

Hilda slid her arms around his shoulders and hid her face into his neck. She panted and groaned against the muscle as she felt the familiar fire heat in her lower body. Claude squeezed her breast reassuringly before his hand left her breast and slid up and over her back. He grabbed her backside with his free hand and pulled on her, helping her to thrust against his hand. Her body shook and was overwhelmed with a strange power as the heat spread. Her mouth opened but she muffled her scream against his neck as her body released. Her knees felt unsteady but she moved against his hand in the aftershocks. She was still so _sensitive_ , that the moment she reached her peak she found herself pushed over the edge again. Claude held onto her and moved his hands gently with her as her body trembled.

She didn’t have the strength to sit up and just collapsed on top of him. Claude pulled the blankets back over them, but Hilda couldn’t stop kissing him. She loved feeling his mouth against hers. She loved hearing and feeling his heartbeat and the sound of his breathing. She was exhausted in body and spirit but passion still burned in her heart. This time had felt so different, but she knew that it was because of her fear over her dream, and because of the love she now realized she felt for him. Claude for his part indulged deeply in her kisses and touches. She sensed from his body language that her behavior confused him, but it wasn’t making him uncomfortable. When she snuggled up to him and held onto him tightly, he didn’t recoil from her. Rather, he pulled her in tighter and tucked her against him so that she was comfortable in his arms.

_I don’t want this to end. I want to stay like this forever..._

“Do you want to tell me what’s wrong?”

Of course Claude knew something was wrong, but his tone was gentle and not accusatory. Hilda however felt so tired that she was light-headed even while lying down. She leaned her head against his shoulder, her forehead touching his cheek. She only managed a simple reply before sleep claimed her. ”I had a bad dream.”

She woke a little later in the morning to see Claude sitting beside her watching her sleep. Her heart fluttered and she was just happy to see him beside her, and she was relieved to wake up in _much_ more pleasant circumstances than she had earlier.

_If only I could wake up beside him every morning..._

She tried not to think like this because it was impossible. When she pulled Claude down to kiss him, she allowed herself to enjoy the feel of his lips against hers, the weight of his body on top of hers, and the thump of his heartbeat against hers.

_I love you, you troublemaking schemer._

”I’ll see you later,” he said, and her heart warmed at the promise in his tone.

”Yes, you will,” she responded, emphasizing her words with the love in her heart.

* * *

At the time they had thought that it was a simple goodbye, but the memory of that fateful day would later weigh heavily on both Claude and Hilda. That moment they said their goodbyes, they had no way of knowing that they wouldn’t lie beside each other again for almost six years.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

_26th of the Great Tree Moon, Imperial Year 1186_

Hilda grabbed the doorknob, but hesitated. After a moment she shook her head and slowly opened the door. When she looked inside her breath caught in her throat.

Claude’s former room looked almost as she remembered it. The bed was somewhat neatly made, and Hilda was surprised that the maids still changed his bedding when he was no longer occupying this room. But the books were still pilled throughout the room, and on his bed.

It still...felt like his room.

Hilda closed the door behind her and walked towards the bed. After staring down at it for a few moments she climbed into bed and curled up on her side. She closed her eyes, and she could almost imagine that she was still in the Academy, and was still Claude’s lover and companion.

_Look at me. Twenty-four years old and I’m living in the past. It’s been five years since I last laid in Claude’s bed...and I haven’t be able to stop loving him since._

There was the rub; her love and affection for Claude hadn’t waned since she was eighteen years old. Claude had screamed at her, insulted her, and made it clear that he felt _nothing_ for her, but she hadn’t been able to stop loving him. She had spent almost the entirety of the last five years at Fódlan’s Locket, safely tucked away by her parents and her brother Holst from the war that had ravaged the continent, and she hadn’t seen Claude once during that time. The last time she had heard his voice was during the battle at Garreg Mach, and when the Imperial Army invaded and took over, forcing the populous to flee.

She had wanted to hate him for using her so brutally...but she couldn’t. Despite how badly he had hurt her, Hilda’s heart still longed for him. She worried over his safety, especially since the noble houses of the Leicester Alliance were quite divided in their loyalties. He was a constant presence in her mind and heart, and she hated herself for it. She hated herself for being unable to get over him. She couldn’t help but feel pathetic for continuing to love a man that she could not have. 

_A man that will never love me._

Hilda made a strangled noise in her throat, and she curled into a tighter fetal position on Claude’s former bed. _Oh...I miss him so much! I miss him and I love him, but he pushed me away! He pushed me away, forcing me to join the Blue Lions, and now I have to face him on the battlefield on opposing sides!_

She did not believe that Claude was responsible for the death of the scout, but Dimitri—he had changed so _much_ since she had last seen him. Darkness oozed out from him like a poisonous aura, and his mannerisms and behavior were irrational and destructive. But he was the leader of the Army—they _had_ to follow his lead. And Dimitri...he was very determined to kill Edelgard. It didn’t seem to matter to him how many people died until he achieved this goal.

_And now Claude is an obstacle in his path. Oh Goddess...what do I do? I didn’t want this! I wanted to stay by Claude’s side! I wanted to fight for him! But now I have to fight **against** him because I’m not on the same side as him anymore! Oh Goddess—what if Dimitri meets him on the battlefield? What if Dimitri tries to kill him? I don’t want Claude to die, but if I try to save him then I will be seen as a traitor! What’s more, Claude might reject me again, and I’ll be left adrift without any allies! Oh Sothis, what do I do?! Please tell me what I should do!_

Hilda was startled when she felt a hand touch her shoulder, and she dimly realized that she had fallen asleep in Claude’s old bed. She opened her eyes, half-expecting to see Claude sitting beside her. It wasn’t Claude, but she instinctively relaxed when she saw who the person was. “Professor.” She sat up fully. “What are you doing here?”

Professor Byleth smiled, but Hilda could tell by the glint in her eye that she was melancholy. “Are you all right, Hilda?”

Hilda stiffened, but forced a smile at her. “Of course I am! Why wouldn’t I be?”

”We march to Gronder Field in four days,” Byleth reminded her.

”Yes, I remember,” Hilda said nonchalantly. “You were victorious then and you will surely be victorious now. I don’t intend on getting hit by ballistas this time, though.”

”I do want you to be there, Hilda,” Byleth confirmed. “And I want you to be careful. I...know that this battle will not be easy for you.”

”How kind of you to think of me,” Hilda said easily. “But I’m not the only one who will be facing old allies.”

”I know. But Claude will also be there.”

”Yes...he will.”

They sat in silence for several long moments. Hilda hesitated before blurting out, “Claude didn’t kill that scout. You know that, don’t you?”

Byleth looked away. “...I know Claude. Doing something like that isn’t his style.”

”Then there’s no point in us seeing him as an enemy,” Hilda told her. “We should join up with Claude and take on the Imperial Army!”

Byleth looked back at her. “I know how you feel, but that’s a risk that we unfortunately cannot take. Dimitri was—disturbed by the condition of the scout when we found his body. He’s very angry about it, and he _does_ believe that the Alliance is responsible.”

”Well, why don’t you tell him that _you_ don’t think Claude’s responsible?!” Hilda shot back.

”I have,” Byleth said gravely. “But Dimitri is not so convinced. We will go to this battle to engage the Imperial Army. If the Alliance attacks us, then...”

”And what if Dimitri attacks the Alliance first?”

Byleth closed her eyes and her shoulders drooped. Hilda felt awful that she was bringing down her spirits like this, but she felt that she needed to say these things to Byleth.

”...I will do all that I can,” Byleth said quietly. “Just...please have faith in me. And Dimitri.” She stood up from the bed and headed towards the door.

”You’re only asking me to have faith in Dimitri because you’re in love with him,” Hilda snapped, but she immediately regretted it. A surge of pain swelled up in her as she saw Byleth stop and stiffen. _Damn it! I didn’t mean to say that!_

Byleth slowly turned to face her. Hilda swallowed thickly as she saw Byleth’s eyes slowly turn red. She looked like she was about to burst into tears. Hilda stood up and held out her hands, as though she wanted to hug Byleth. But she hesitated and held herself back.

After a long and painful silence, Byleth finally spoke. “You’re right, Hilda. But—are you not also telling me to have faith in Claude because _you’re_ in love with him?”

Hilda gaped at her, the pain vibrating in her throat. She didn’t say a word further. Neither did Byleth as she slipped out, leaving Hilda standing alone in Claude’s old room.

* * *

_30th of the Great Tree Moon_

Perched on her wyvern Matilda (with whom she brought with her back to the Monastery), Hilda was feeling a throbbing pain in her abdomen. She knew that it wasn’t her heart aching because the pain was situated lower than her heart. It felt like someone had punched her _hard_. She did breathing exercises to try and dispel the pain, because she knew that it had to be psychological, but breathing seemed to make the throbbing worse. She closed her eyes and tried to focus herself, and idly reached down to stroke Matilda’s neck. _Calm down. Calm down. The battle is about to begin_.

”Lady Hilda?” A voice said behind her. When she had returned to Garreg Mach Holst had sent one of his personal wyvern battalions to assist her. They never left her side on the battlefield “Are you all right?”

_Focus, Hilda. If you’re not in a proper state of mind, then the soldiers that serve under you will not be in a proper state of mind._

”I’m fine,” she said calmly, slowly opening her eyes. The throbbing in her abdomen was still there but it was starting to wane.

”A...Are we really going to be attacking the Duke?” Another soldier asked fearfully. Hilda chose not to answer him and instead gripped the hilt of Freikugel in her fist. For once she was comforted by the presence of her family’s Heroes’ Relic. She looked out over Gronder Field, and her unease grew as she saw nothing but thick fog in front of her. 

“Hilda!” Byleth called out, racing towards her. Hilda was immediately alarmed to see Byleth’s face pale and full of anxiety. Byleth grabbed Matilda by the bridle and the wyvern surprisingly didn’t react. She pointed up at Hilda. “Hilda, don’t move from this spot.”

” _What_?!” Hilda exclaimed.

”Do not move from this spot,” Byleth repeated through gritted teeth. “Neither your battalion or you are to advance. Stay right where you are and _don’t move_.”

”So, you don’t want me participating in the battle? How sweet of you,” Hilda said sarcastically. “If you wanted me to serve as nothing more than a spectator for this battle, then you should’ve left me at Garreg Mach!”

” _Hilda_!” Byleth shouted, which startled Hilda greatly. She had never heard Byleth raise her voice before. “I’m giving you a direct order! Do not move from this spot! If you do, I will _never_ forgive you!”

“Okay, okay,” Hilda conceded, raising her free hand in self defense. “My battalion and I will hold this spot.”

Byleth relaxed ever so slightly, but she still looked so tensed that Hilda was unnerved. “Thank you.” She turned and back towards the Kingdom Army and the Knights of Seiros.

 _What was THAT all about?_ Hilda wondered, but she didn’t say it out loud. She didn’t want to risk making any comments that could be mistaken as insubordination in front of her soldiers. She turned in her saddle. “Well, we have our orders. We stand down and do not participate in the battle.”

The soldiers of House Goneril shifted with discomfort but otherwise no one said anything. Hilda watched Byleth running frantically through the ranks, shouting orders at soldiers in the vanguard. Under her directions soldiers began scattering into small groups across the area. Gilbert approached her and spoke with her briefly, and suddenly he was moving quickly to scatter the forces. Hilda’s brow furrowed in confusion. _What exactly is going on now?_

Dimitri did not assist Byleth or Gilbert in...whatever it was they were doing. He was watching the fog, his Heroes Relic Areadbhar slung over his shoulder. His body language was as tense as the string on a bow; he was ready to snap into battle.

There was a ‘whoosh’ overhead and Hilda quickly looked up. She cried out as she saw balls of fire rain down upon them. But—though the fire spell frightened the Kingdom soldiers and Knights of Seiros, not one fireball hit any of their forces. They instead hit the ground _where the vanguard had been standing._ Hilda’s eyes widened with the realization and she looked at Byleth. _She—how did she know that attack was coming?!_

To the northwest across the river, Hilda heard explosions and screams of pain echoing across the field. Her heart leapt into her throat as she looked in that direction. _That...the Golden Deer House was stationed there during the Battle of the Eagle and the Lion! I-Is Claude over there?!_

”Kill every last one of them!” Dimitri yelled, and began charging with the vanguard. While she was ambivalent about Dimitri’s deteriorating state, Hilda was alarmed to see him lead the vanguard at the front. _He has absolutely no regard for his own personal safety!_

Byleth led the charge with the rest of the Army across the river, and Hilda and her battalian were left alone on the other side. She felt sick to her stomach watching her comrades fight while she held position, but Byleth had told her not to move. _She obviously has a plan. Hopefully it won’t get us all killed._

The fog made it difficult to watch the battle, but Hilda could see Byleth choreograph the positions of the battalions and her former student as though she knew the enemy’s next move. When soldiers tried to take the hill and attack the archer firing ballistas, Hilda could almost hear Byleth shouting at them to get off the hill. Someone flew overhead—it looked like Ingrid, and—was that _Felix_ who was hanging onto her pegasus?! Whoever was hanging onto the side of the pegasus, they dropped down directly upon the archer manning the ballista and killed them with a single blow. It...it looked enemy forces— _Imperial? Yes, it had to have been Imperial forces_ —were advancing from the opposite side of the hill but Hilda saw the Professor jabbing a finger towards the right side of the hill. Someone (Annette, possibly?) led their battalion that way. It also looked like the Professor was keeping Lysithea von Ordelia at her side.

And Byleth was directing their Army towards the northeast of Gronder Field.

Hilda let out a short breath of relief. _Okay. Okay, that’s good. If Claude’s forces are in the northwest, Professor Byleth is trying to avoid fighting them!_

”Dimitri, _no_!” Byleth shouted as the Prince himself stormed up the field to engage the forces that both Felix and Ingrid were handling. Hilda sighed and pressed a hand to her face. _The Professor may seem to know what’s going on, but the Prince of Faerghus is too unpredictable!_

”Lady Hilda!” One of her soldiers shouted. Hilda stiffened as her battalion surrounded her protectively, axes raised high and obstructing her view. However...when she glanced towards the northeast across the river, her heart filled with dread. She saw a Calvary on horseback...and two archers.

And all of them were wearing _Alliance_ uniforms.

”Behind us!” Another shouted. Hilda quickly turned in her saddle and despite the wall her battalion had created around her, she saw two pegasus riders, and...someone wielding an axe? They too were wearing Alliance uniforms!

 _They...They advanced from behind us!_ Hilda’s eyes widened with horror. _Claude, he...he was trying to **ambush** us?! Oh my Goddess, was Dimitri right?! Claude, did he..._

She looked her head but casted her eyes down. _No. No, I can’t believe that. Claude is sneaky, and devises schemes to his favor, but he wouldn’t have killed a scout like that! There must be another explanation!_

”Enemy soldiers!” she heard a shout ahead of them. She turned around and one of the Alliance archers taking aim towards them. Hilda’s breath hitched in her throat, and she grabbed Matilda’s reins. “Dismount!” She shouted. “Protect yourselves and save your wyverns!”

”STOP!” The other archer lunged forward and grabbed his comrade’s arm. “Don’t fire, you idiot! They’re wearing the banners of House Goneril! That’s _Lady Hilda_!”

”What?!” As Hilda was dismounting Matilda, she saw the two staring at her, as was the Calvary. She looked behind and saw that the Alliance soldiers from behind them had also stopped in their tracks. Some were openly pointing at her.

”That’s Lady Hilda!”

” _She’s_ fighting for the Kingdom?!”

”Yeah, that’s her!”

”Holst Goneril’s little sister!”

”Keep your distance!”

”W...” Hilda looked at her soldiers. “What’s going on?”

”They won’t attack us,” someone said. “Nobody wants to risk hurting you.”

”...Oh.” She looked between the two groups, all of whom were clearly keeping their distance and talking furiously amongst themselves, and she slowly slid back up into her saddle. _Well. I guess it pays to have an influential family._

”She’s an enemy!” The first archer insisted, but his comrade grabbed him by his collar and yanked him close. “I don’t care whose side she’s on! If anything happens to her, then _you_ can explain to _Lord_ _Holst_ what happened to her!”

The first archer seemed to get it and shoved the other away. “N-No way!”

Hilda relaxed only somewhat, but then she realized that the Alliance soldiers were advancing past her. “Wait, STOP!” She cried out, waving a hand. “Please don’t engage! We’re just trying to take out the Imperial Army!”

”Then why is Prince Dimitri reacting so threateningly towards us?!” An Alliance soldier shouted.

”Because he thinks the Alliance killed a Kingdom scout!”

”I don’t know anything about that!”

”It’s not our job to know anyway! We just follow orders!”

”NO!” _This_ scream startled everyone, and Hilda quickly looked towards the hill. Right before her eyes she saw Byleth race up the hill and tackle Dimitri _hard_ , sending them both tumbling down the left side of the hill. Ingrid on her Pegasus was rising high into the air, Felix hanging onto the side of it again. No sooner did they leave the hill did the hill suddenly explode in flames. Hilda pressed a hand to her mouth in horror as she heard screams of fright and pain coming from the area of the now burning hill. 

_She—the Imperial Army set the hill on fire! There were still Imperial soldiers on that hill, and they set it on fire!_ Hilda grinned her teeth as hatred filled her body. _Damn you! **Goddess damn you** , Edelgard!_

”Look!” An Alliance soldier shouted, pointing towards the northwest. Hilda looked up, and she gasped harshly as tears immediately stung her eyes.

Emerging from the fog, riding a white wyvern, was Claude.

It was the first time she had seen him in five years. He looked older, more like a man that he had before, but he looked proud and handsome. Hilda found herself overwhelmed at finally, finally seeing him. Despite how terribly things had ended between them, she still felt warmth in her heart when she looked at him.

 _It’s...It’s really him. And he’s riding a wyvern!_ She looked at the beast in question as Claude flew smoothly across the battlefield. _He...Claude mentioned once that he had an interest in getting a white wyvern once. He said...what did he say he would name it? Gilbert? Gideon? Yes, it was Gideon!_ She snorted to herself. _He probably did name the wyvern Gideon..._

Claude was looking towards the burning hill, towards Dimitri and Byleth. Dimitri was recovering quicker than Byleth, who was moving much slower on the ground. Her whole body had to have been aching, considering Dimitri and her rolled down the hill and Dimitri was in full armor whereas she was _not_. Hilda saw a flash of light, and recognized Mercedes’s battalion healing spell. She healed Byleth from a distance before a loud roar from the northeast distracted her, and she went running in that direction.

Hilda looked back towards Claude, and stiffened. Claude was now looking towards _her_. She gasped as she met his gaze across the battlefield. It was surely an interesting sight for him; seeing her surrounded by her battalion, and surrounded by Alliance soldiers who were too scared to attack her. She could not read his expression from the distance, but he made no movements towards her.

 _Of course he wouldn’t. We’re on opposing sides of a battle. And he didn’t feel anything for me when we were lovers. Why would he feel anything for me now?_ Hilda bit down hard on her bottom lip.

There was chaos across Gronder Field, but the Alliance soldiers that surrounded her didn’t move or attack. Likewise, Claude had turned his attention back to Dimitri and Byleth. A hard lump quickly formed in Hilda’s throat, stealing her breath away, as she realized that Claude was wielding a Heroes Relic; it had to be the bow Failnaught of House Riegan. She shuddered when she saw the bow, and unwanted images filled her mind. _The last time I saw that bow was when I had that horrible dream. How strange that my mind captured the image of that bow perfectly when I don’t remember laying eyes on it before..._

Byleth was distracted by an Imperial soldier, but Dimitri had risen to his feet and was still holding onto Areadbhar. He spotted Claude, and with a roar of rage he lunged at him, swinging Areadbhar straight at Claude. Claude however pulled on his wyvern (Gideon’s?) reins and the white wyvern surged skyward, successfully dodging the attack. “Calm down, Dimitri!” Hilda heard Claude chide him over the roar of battle. She let out a short gasp. _His voice...it even sounds the same!_

“What does it achieve, us killing each other here?” Claude shouted towards him, Gideon successfully dodging another attack.

”Move, Claude,” Dimitri retorted, swinging Areadbhar upwards and missing again. His movements were too frantic. “I have no time to exchange words with you!”

“It doesn’t matter what I’m saying, does it?” Claude asked. He readied an arrow on Failnaught and pointed it straight at Dimitri. “You aren’t even listening. But I’m not gonna budge.”

Claude let the arrow go. Powered by the Heroes Relic, the arrow turned red and flew within centimeters of Dimitri’s head, the momentum stirring his hair and impacting the ground behind him. Hilda knew that with Claude’s skill he could not have missed when Dimitri was so close to him, unless he _intentionally_ missed. Dimitri didn’t even flinch from the shot, and instead of firing another arrow Claude stood up in his saddle and lunged at Dimitri with a battle cry.

Their brawl did not last long, but they both fought fiercely. Claude made good use of the Failnaught as a melee weapon, and was even able to fire two more arrows in close proximity to Dimitri, both of which stunned and singed him but otherwise did not seriously injure him. It was clear that Claude was not fighting with intention to kill Dimitri.

Dimitri, however, _was_ clearly fighting with intention to kill Claude, and his attacks and lunges targeted towards landing a killing blow. Hilda gripped the handle of Freikugel so tight in her fist that her whole arm was shaking. She tried to remain composed for the sake of the soldiers who served under her, but everyone around them was uneasy. She faintly heard Alliance soldiers discussing ambushing Dimtiri from behind to save Claude, but they were too scared to move.

_What do I do? What do I do?!_

Gideon was poised and tense on the ground, watching Claude battle Dimitri. When Dimitri swung Areadbhar around and jabbed Claude in the solar plexus with the hilt, the wvyern hissed in warning. “H-Heel!” Claude gagged over his shoulder, even as he stumbled back. He took to one knee and tried to raised Failnaught, but Dimitri then struck Claude across the face with the hilt of Areadbhar. Claude did not fall into the dirt, nor did he lose his grip on Failnaught, but the blow clearly dazed him

”Let’s move!” One of the Alliance soldiers yelled. “Our Duke is in danger!”

All of the Alliance soldiers that had surrounded her raced in the direction of Claude and Dimitri, but Hilda sat frozen in horror. The Alliance soldiers were too far away. They would not make it in time to save Claude!

_The Professor told me to hold the line! But Claude—_

She never finished the thought. Dimitri raised Areadbhar over his head, ready to bring it down upon Claude as he struggled to his feet. Byleth suddenly reappeared, running up from Dimitri’s right and Claude’s left. She pulled out the Sublime Creator Sword, and Hilda watched as she swung it and it splintered into its whip form. With a loud cry, Byleth spun the whip and struck Claude along the left side of his body!

Claude screamed from the blow, and Dimitri faltered. The force of the blow sent him flying backwards and he slammed into Gideon. The white wyvern reacted immediately; dipping his head underneath Claude and hoisting his body up onto Gideon’s back. The left sleeve of his shirt was torn; blood quickly billowing down to his cuff in a red stain and onto his back...

Hilda didn’t realize that _she_ was screaming until someone grabbed her arm. “Lady Hilda! _Lady Hilda_!” She abruptly came back into her body and realized that the left side of her face hurt. She noticed only absently that she had dug her fingernails into her cheek. Her mouth opened and closed soundlessly in horror as Claude drooped dangerously on his wyvern. The Alliance soldiers had reached him and immediately formed a wall between Dimitri and Claude. “Retreat!” The call went out. “The Duke is injured! _Protect the Duke_!”

Dimitri didn’t try to attack the Alliance soldiers to get to Claude. They backed up in unison as Claude feebly turned Gideon around to retreat, weapons drawn. Dimitri watched them retreat, but Hilda couldn’t read his expression. Byleth sheathed her sword and leaned in close and was clearly talking to Dimitri. Whatever she said he nodded to it and he turned to run towards the north side of the still burning hill.

 _Now he’s in pursuit of Edelgard?!_ Hilda felt tears sting her eyes and she quickly scrubbed them away. Her eyes went to Byleth, and she felt a surge of hate in her heart when she saw the Professor. _How could she do that?! She tried to kill Claude!_

Byleth was waving her arm towards the south side of the burning hill, and Hilda saw Lysithea racing towards her. They spoke briefly and she saw Lysithea do the familiar gestures of casting a spell. Light enveloped Byleth and she disappeared into thin air—

And abruptly appeared right before Hilda, startling her and her comrades.

”Hilda!” Byleth said breathlessly. A million curse words and condemnations flooded through Hilda’s mind, but Byleth didn’t give her the chance to speak. She grabbed Matilda’s bridle again. “Now’s your chance! Claude is retreating, go with him now!”

Hilda gaped at her, feeling heat flood her face. “W-What?!”

”Go with Claude,” Byleth repeated herself. “He needs you now more than I need you. Go be with him.”

Hilda shook her head in confusion. “I-I don’t understand—”

”I know,” Byleth quickly interrupted her. “I know you didn’t want to join the Blue Lions. I know Claude forced you to join us. I’m releasing you from your obligation to this Army and letting you go.”

”H...How do you know that?!” Hilda cried out, aghast and utterly embarrassed.

”It doesn’t matter how I know. What matters is that Claude is retreating and he’s injured. You both need each other, so I’m telling you to go and be with him. I’m sorry—I know I’m putting you on the spot. But there’s no time to fix things any other way, so you need to go before he’s gone.”

Hilda looked up again. Claude _was_ getting further away, and the Alliance soldiers were also fleeing. She looked towards the northeast, where she knew her former classmates were fighting. _I...I don’t have time to go and say goodbye to everyone! But..._

She looked down towards Byleth again. After a moment she threw her arms around her. “Thank you so _much_!”

”Just take care of yourself,” Byleth said, accepting her hug. “And...take care of Claude.”

“You just win today and beat the Imperial Army!” Hilda wanted to say more to her, but she knew she was short on time. She pulled on Matilda’s reins and lifted into the air. “Let’s go!” She shouted to her battalion. “Claude needs us!”

The soldiers cheered as they flew after her. They flew quickly to catch up with the retreating Alliance soldiers. Some of them reacted with alarm when they saw Hilda, but no one made a move against her. It seemed to be an unspoken rule that no one was willing to risk hurting Holst Goneril’s little sister. 

And they seemed to accept that Hilda and her battalion were not a threat to them.

Hilda was close, so very _close_ to Claude when it happened. He dipped to his right, and fell off his wyvern!

” _Claude_!” She shrieked. She lunged with Matilda, arms outstretched, and thankfully caught Claude in her arms before he hit the ground. The Alliance Army abruptly stopped when their Duke fell off his wyvern, and they surrounded them. Freikugel was pressed uncomfortably across her thigh, but Hilda didn’t care as she tried to manuever Claude comfortably in her arms. He still had a grip on Failnaught despite his deteriorating health. His nose was pressed into the crook of her neck. “We need help!” She snapped at the soldiers surrounding them. She saw Judith von Daphnel rushing towards them and relief flooded her body.

Claude inhaled weakly against her neck, and his labored breathing paused. “...Hilda?” He mumbled against her skin.

”Claude?!” Hilda looked down at him as a best as she could.

His eyes were closed, his face pale, and he sighed so quietly...he almost sounded happy when he spoke. “Hilda...oh, how I’ve missed you...”

* * *

Claude hadn’t been able to anticipate the fire attack from the Imperial Army. It was a...strange feeling. He could remember distinctively the confidence he was feeling going into battle, though he was unsure of what was going on with the Kingdom because he _thought_ they were allies. He sent two groups towards the position of the Kingdom Army and the Knights of Seiros with two distinctive goals; to either reach out to those forces as allies if they _were_ allies, or to attack upon signal if they weren’t allies.

But he put on an air of confidence so that the soldiers who served under him would feel confident too.

But then...then it stopped.

He blinked for one moment, and when he opened his eyes his feelings were different. He was feeling the after waves of... _grief_ in his heart. His vision was blurred and he wiped at his eyes, flushing with shame when he saw liquid on his fingertips. _Tears? I...I’m crying? Why am I crying?_

“Boy?” He heard Judith say behind him. Claude smacked a mask of confidence back on his face and quickly wiped away all of the tears. “Don’t call me boy. It’s fine.”

Then the fire attack started, and several Alliance soldiers fell. Claude led the advance to move the position of his Army so that they could not be targeted again. He could hear the sounds of fighting from the distance and knew that the Kingdom and Imperial forces were engaged, but he couldn’t distinguish the fighters in the thick fog. 

_Well, we were already attacked and I don’t know the Kingdom’s motives. It’s better to be safe rather than sorry, and risk further loses on my side._

It was with reluctance that he gave the signal to attack the Kingdom forces in addition to the Imperial forces. He didn’t relish the decision, though; he liked Dimitri, and they had fought shoulder to shoulder during the battle of Garreg Mach. And he sent the order with a heavy heart because he knew that his former comrades from the Golden Deer House would be fighting for Dimitri. He didn’t want to kill them, much less fight them.

 _Especially Hilda._ Claude snapped his teeth at that impulsive thought and shook his head. _Stop that right now, Khalid. You can wallow in regret later. For now you need to focus on keeping the men and women who serve under you alive._

He reached down and stroked the back his wyvern’s neck. “Don’t do anything reckless, Gideon,” he said softly. “If I tell you to stay put you listen to me, understand?” Gideon predictably didn’t respond, but flew in the direction Claude guided him in.

Up ahead, he heard a loud explosion and a giant burst of red pierced the fog. Screams echoed across Gronder Field and Claude gently pulled on Gideon’s reins to make him stop briefly. _That...was that the hill with the ballista! The whole thing is on fire!_

Claude knew that Dimitri and Byleth would not have set fire to the hill because that was not their style. This was more _Claude’s_ style, so he knew that Edelgard had set fire to the hill. Bile rose in his throat though when he screams turned to agony. _I would like to think that Edelgard waited until her own forces were no longer on the hill before she set fire to it...but setting fire to it **while** her forces were still on the hill is in fact her style..._

The fog cleared, and the burning hill was just ahead. In front of the burning hill he saw Dimitri and Byleth laying side by side in the grass. Both looked incredibly disheveled and were gasping for breath, and Teach looked slightly worse off than Dimitri, who was already sitting up. Claude arched an eyebrow as he put two and two together. _Ah. Teach saved his life by tackling him off the hill. I hope you appreciate just how much that woman loves you, Dimitri..._

He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and looked to his right...and saw Hilda.

It was the first time he had seen her in five years, and she still stunningly beautiful. She was surrounded by a battalion, and Alliance soldiers who were obviously too intimidated to try to engage her (because who wanted to risk Holst Goneril’s wrath?) but it was still surreal to see her. Claude knew that she had been tucked away safe and sound by her family at Fódlan’s Locket since the fall of Garreg Mach. And he had known that he would have seen her on the battlefield.

But seeing her now...both warm and ugly memories flooded his minds. Words he had spoken and not spoken echoed in his ears and he shook his head. His mask didn’t falter. _I still love you, Hilda. I love you, and so I’m not going to fight you on the battlefield. Please, keep your life._

So he engaged Dimitri—and did not fare well. And at the moment he was certain that his life was over, Teach rushed forward and dealt him a blow across his left arm and side. It...hurt. Considerably. Immediately his mind began to swim and he lost total awareness. He became aware of Gideon hoisting him onto his back (what a good wyvern, what a good companion), and he slipped in and out of consciousness. He was aware that his body was in pain but his mind was strangely numb...his left arm felt warm, though, how strange—

Claude was certain that he fell unconscious when he slipped out of his saddle and fell off of Gideon’s back. One moment he felt the open air, but the next—he felt familiar _softness._ And a scent, a sweet scent that immediately put him at ease.

 _Hilda?_ The name echoed in his mind like a whisper. He wasn’t aware of saying it out loud and he couldn’t open his eyes. But someone was holding him, and he recognized the way he was cradled against this familiar body. And the sweet scent of expensive perfume flooded his senses.

_Hilda...oh, how I’ve missed you..._

Claude lost track of time as he continued to slip in and out of consciousness. He woke up in brief spurts whenever someone casted a healing spell on him, but the pain of his injury only caused him to lose consciousness again. He was, after all, struck down by a Heroes Relic that was once wielded by the King of Liberation himself, Nemesis. The sword that cut open the sky, allegedly...yeah, Claude was _quite_ aware that simple healing spells would barely be enough to heal his injuries.

Every time he woke up it was in a new location, changing landscape. And every time he woke up he was comforted by the presence of the familiar body...Hilda—yes, he saw her face quite often when he woke up. One time when he woke up he sought her hand with his good one and gripped it as tightly as he could. Which, admittedly, wasn’t very hard.

_Don’t leave me. I don’t want you to leave. Please, stay by my side..._

_I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for everything I did to you. Please forgive me..._

_I love you. I love you so much!_

He knew that he wasn’t saying these words out loud, and in his delirious state he found himself trying to force these words out of his throat, but he didn’t have the strength. All he could do was strain to speak...and ultimately just grunt or gasp.

One time when he woke up, he saw himself crossing the threshold of a house. He was being carried inside somewhere....Claude’s head rolled to the side and he saw Hilda running up to a man and woman who was racing towards them down the stairs. She quickly hugged the man and woman but was speaking rapidly. He looked away and recognized the house banner hanging from the wall.

_Ah. House Goneril. Hilda took us to her home estate._

He lost consciousness again briefly, but the next time he woke up he had surprisingly clarity in his mind. He cracked his eyes open and saw that he was lying in a massively large bed. Two Bishops standing on opposite sides of the bed he was laying in, both of them casting healing spells on him one right after the other. The healing spells alleviated the worst of the pain in his body, but he was still aching. With a slight shift of his body he grimly realized that he still had open wounds on the left side of his body, but he didn’t quite have the strength to lift his head to look down and assess his injuries. The excessive healing spells that had been casted upon him had healed all other injuries though save for the injuries caused by the Sublime Creator Sword.

_Maybe...someone should tell Teach not to use that sword in an effort to save someone’s life? Then again, if she **didn’t** have a sword that could break apart into a whip, then she wouldn’t have been fast enough to stop Dimitri from killing me..._

Claude didn’t realize he had past out again until he woke up to soft voices in the room. He opened his eyes and saw Hilda speaking with Judith and her father. Hilda’s back was to him so he couldn’t see her face, but both Lord Goneril and Judith looked anxious. _They’re talking about me. I love being the center of attention, but this is a bit much._

While they were distracted in conversation, Claude took a moment to look down at himself. He was laying in the center of the bed and the covers were drawn to his hips but he could sense that he was only in smallclothes. Clean bandage wrap covered his entire torso and was wrapped around almost his entire left arm. He moved his left arm ever so slightly, and while he could move it easily it still stung terribly. He briefly looked around the bedchamber and quickly deduced that Lord Goneril had given Claude his own bedchambers to recuperate in instead of a guest room. _That was nice of him._

Then he looked back towards the trio talking. The door was open and Lord Goneril and Judith were moving to leave the room. He still could not see Hilda’s face, but he guessed from her body language beside the door that she was staying and not leaving with them. They were still speaking so softly that even when Claude strained his ears he couldn’t hear their conversation. None of them noticed that he was awake and watching them. 

Judith and Lord Goneril then took their leave, and relief flooded Claude’s body as Hilda slowly closed the door behind them, leaving her alone in the room with Claude. He swallowed thickly as he watched her in front of the door. _This...This is the first time we’ve been alone together in five years._

Hilda did not turn around to face him, but Claude saw her composure crumble. She hugged her arms and leaned forward, struggling to hold in a sob. His heart throbbed painfully at seeing her in distress, and he was filled with self-loathing. _All right. The worst has already happened. There’s no point in keeping the charade up any longer. I’m ending this now._

He moved his mouth to speak. ”Are they gone?”

* * *

Hild’s head snapped up and she turned around, tears in her eyes. Claude was wide awake in bed, staring at her. He looked mildly groggy but surprisingly nonchalant.

And he was _alive_.

”Claude!” Hilda wheezed. She rushed to his bedside and sat down, but in a chair at bedside and not on the bed. “Y-You’re awake!”

”Yes...I am.” He looked around the room. “What’s today’s date?”

”First of the Harpstring Moon,” she told him. “We ran all through the night in retreat. Because House Ordelia is forcibly aligned with the Empire, I suggested that we bring you to my family estate. You’re in my parent’s room.”

“I thought as much.” He glanced at her. “Is Gideon okay?”

“I _knew_ it!” Hilda cried out, feeling unexpected joy. “I knew you would name your wyvern Gideon!”

Claude smiled wryly at her. “I’m assuming by your demeanor that he’s okay?”

”Oh, he’s fine. He followed close behind Matilda and me as we carried you here. He’s very loyal to you.”

Claude snorted. “You named _your_ wyvern Matilda? That is something you would do, Hilda.”

”Oh hush,” Hilda snapped at him. “Matilda is a good name!”

”If you say so...”

Hilda laughed, and Claude laughed briefly as well. In that moment it felt like old times again, at Garreg Mach before everything awful happened. Before they broke up...and Claude broke her heart...

Claude quickly sobered and looked down at his torso and heavily bandaged left arm. “Teach really did a number on me, didn’t she?”

”She attacked you,” Hilda said quietly. “The healers said that your wounds aren’t healing quickly, even with healing spells, because you were attacked with a Heroes Relic.”

”She saved my life.”

Hilda gaped at him but Claude shrugged as best as she could. “She attacked me so that Dimitri wouldn’t land the killing blow. He was caught up in the furor of battle...but once Teach attacked me he seemed to snap out of it. I saw it in his face. He certainly allowed us to retreat.”

Hilda was immensely surprised to hear this. She looked down at her hands. “Dimitri...he’s changed so much, Claude. It’s been difficult to follow him. He’s like a monster wearing a man’s skin.”

”I’m sorry to hear that,” Claude said grimly. “But unfortunately it was inevitable. No one goes through what he went through and comes out unscathed. But Teach is with him. He’ll be okay.”

”...Are you sure?”

”Of course. He loves her, and she loves him. The fact that he didn’t try to kill me when she attacked me shows that he can be pulled back from the abyss. Teach might be the only person who can do it, but...I believe that she can.”

”Honestly, the only reason I went back to Garreg Mach was because of the Professor. And our friends. I missed everyone so much, and Professor Byleth inspired loyalty in me. Otherwise...” she shook her head. “I didn’t feel good having loyalty to Dimitri with how he was acting. The Professor might be successful in saving him, but...”

Claude said nothing for a long moment. “It’s unfortuante that you were in that position. It looks like though that you abandoned their cause to follow me.”

”Professor Byleth told me to go to you,” Hilda said quietly. Her eyes shifted to the bedspread. She couldn’t look at him. “She said...” she swallowed thickly. “She told me—that she knew that I didn’t join the Blue Lions because I wanted to. I-I don’t know how she found out because I never told her, but the Professor has always been so perceptive. She said...” tears stung her eyes again. “She said I needed to be with you.”

Claude didn’t say anything, but Hilda could feel his eyes on her. Byleth’s words echoed in her mind, quickly followed by the words both Judith and her father said to her just now. 

_”You both need each other, so I’m telling you to go and be with him.”_

_”My darling. I am loathed to give you up to anyone, but I’m no fool. I know how much he means to you...and what you mean to him.”_

_”Take care of the boy, okay? We can all trust you to keep him safe and sound. He needs you.”_

She wiped at her nose but then had to scrub at her face to hide the tears that were spilling out. _Isn’t it funny how everyone is so sure of what Claude needs? But I know the truth because I heard the truth straight from his mouth five years ago._

Hilda forced out a laugh as she finally lifted her head to look at him. “Maybe the Professor wasn’t perceptive after all, huh?”

”Hilda,” Claude said, but there was something in his tone that made her jump out of her seat. She hugged her arms and turned away from him because she couldn’t stop the tears but she would _not_ let him see her cry.

”So here I am,” Hilda said mournfully, vision blinded by tears. “I rushed to your side because that’s where I wanted to be. That’s where I _always_ wanted to be, Claude. But you couldn’t let me stay by your side, could you? No—you just had to have your fill of me and discard me when it suited you.”

He didn’t respond to her, which only made her feel worse. The anger surged up her quickly, and it caused her to raise her voice. “Do you have _any_ idea how much you hurt me?! How _**wretched**_ you made me feel?! I would’ve stood by you through anything Claude, do you know that? If the Imperial Army had invaded Derdriu, I would’ve stood at the front lines to protect your life! I would’ve done anything for you! I...” the singular word broke off in a pathetic wail and she shook her head. Now that her emotional wounds were ripped open anew, she couldn’t stop. “I love you.”

She sniffled loudly and barked out a laugh. “Isn’t that pathetic, Claude? I-I convinced you to be _my_ casual lover, and I fell in love with you! A-And you know what’s more pathetic, Claude?!” She finally turned around to face him but she couldn’t see him through her tears. “I still love you! I-I haven’t been able to shut off these damn feelings after all these years!” She laughed again, but it broke off into a sob and she turned away again.

”Hilda...” Claude’s tone wasn’t pleading, but it was soft and it made her heart twist inside her chest. Hilda shook her head painfully. “I...I already know what you’re going to say Claude, so please don’t. I can’t go through that again. I can’t...”

”Hilda,” Claude said again. “Come here. Please.”

Hilda shook her head again. “I don’t want to. After everything that you put me through, and after everything that happened today, I’m so angry that I’m afraid I might hit you!”

”Hilda, _please_ ,” Claude insisted. “Please come here.”

Hilda shook her head, still faced away from him. She tried to talk but a sob rose in her throat and she suppressed it instead.

”...Fine,” Claude said gravely. Hilda heard the covers rustle, and movement on the bed. She looked over her shoulder and cried out when she saw Claude try to get out of bed! ”Claude, _stop_!” She rushed forward and grabbed his shoulders. She pushed him back onto the bed as gently as she could. “You can’t move, you’re injured! You—”

Claude’s right hand shot up and grabbed Hilda by her collar. It took her by surprise, and so she didn’t immediately react when he pulled her forward. But she started struggling when he pulled her on top of him. “Claude, no! Let me go!” He wrapped his good arm around her shoulders, pressing her down against him so that her head was right next to his on the pillow. “Stop it, let me go! You’re injured!”

”I know I am,” Claude responded. “And unless you want to reopen my wounds, you’ll stop fighting me.”

Hilda did stop struggling, but she lay dejectedly partially on top of him. She hid her face in the pillow. “Please, just...I won’t move away, but let scoot off of you. I don’t want to hurt you.” Claude did loosen his grip on her, which allowed Hilda to slide off him and lay beside him in bed. She still hid her face in the pillow because she didn’t want to look at him...or him look look at her.

”Hilda...” Claude’s breath caressed her face and he leaned in close to her. His close proximity made her shiver. “Please, look at me. I want to see you when I talk to you.”

Hilda didn’t know what he wanted to talk about, but she hated herself for melting against his body. She wanted to snuggle against him and hold him. And kiss him...

”Hilda?” Claude tried again, and this time his tone _was_ pleading. Her heart ached sharply again and she finally moved her head so that he could see her face. She reluctantly opened her eyes and met his gaze. His beautiful green eyes stared back at her, and her breath caught in her throat at the pain and— _longing_ she saw in his eyes. The pain she could explain away because of his injuries, but the longing...

”Good,” Claude said softly. He stroked her bare shoulder gently. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for hurting you.”

Hilda scoffed, the apology filling her abruptly with anger, and she tried to move away, but Claude held her fast. “I’m not finished, Hilda. What I did to you five years ago is despicable, and I haven’t been able to forgive myself. I haven’t been able to forget the look on your face when I said those ugly things to you. I hate myself for hurting you, and—and what makes it worse is that I didn’t mean any of it.”

Hilda gaped at him. “When I told you I didn’t need you. When I said those horrible things to you. That wasn’t what I really felt about you. That’s not what I feel about you now. I-It’s just that...at the time, I began noticing things at the Monastery. I realized that something bad was going to happen, but I didn’t know what it was. The unknown scared me, because I had no control over it. A-And because I didn’t know what was going on, or how to twist it to my advantage, I...” he looked away briefly. “I knew that if something bad was going to happen, I would be personally affected. And if _I_ was personally affected, then _you_ would be in danger as well. I couldn’t stand the thought of you dying, so I tried to put you in a position where you would be away from that. But when I realized you had no intentions of leaving me...I felt that hurting you like that was the only way to get you away from me. To keep you safe.”

Hilda shook her head. “I—”

”You just admitted that you were willing to die for me,” Claude interrupted her. “That if the Imperial Army began a siege on Derdriu then you would fight on the front lines to keep me safe. How do you think that makes me feel? Do you think I _want_ you to die for me? I _don’t_ , Hilda! I don’t ever want you to die for me! I want you to live! If the worst were to happen, then I would rather die instead of you! I would rather you retreat than die for me! This is why I pushed you away! I thought that if you thought that you meant nothing to me, then you wouldn’t ever try to risk your life for me! But...” he looked away. “But we can’t just shut off our feelings like that, can we?”

Hilda gaped at him. Her heart began pounding and she was breathless. “Claude,” she said quietly.

”Khalid.”

Hilda blinked. “What?”

”Khalid,” Claude repeated himself, holding her gaze. “Claude isn’t my real name.”

Pain ripped through Hilda once more at this revelation and tears stung her eyes. ”W... _What_?!”

”My true name is Khalid. I’m Crowned Prince Khalid of Almyra, heir to the throne. Do you remember how I told you that I didn’t want to rule the Alliance? Well, that’s because I really want to rule Almyra. I came to Fódlan primarily to meet my extended family, and to get a feel for the country. I wanted to see what needed to be done in order to achieve my dream.”

“Dream?”

”I want to open the borders between Fódlan and Almyra. I want to open Fódlan to the world. I want the whole world to be open to each other. I want everyone to live in understanding and peace, without bigotry and prejudice. Had Edelgard not declared war on the Church, and then dragged the Kingdom and the Alliance into it, I would’ve eventually left Fódlan and returned home to continue my studies and become King and work towards fulfilling my goal.” He looked away briefly. “Honestly, I was grooming Lorenz to be my successor when I left. Despite his pompous attitude he _does_ have the best interests of both the nobility and commoners at heart. I would’ve then negotiated to break Fódlan’s Throat and open our borders. Those plans obviously went out the window and now cannot happen. But...life is unpredictable like that.”

”You...” Hilda could barely form the words. “Y-You’re royalty from _Almyra_?!”

”That I am,” Claude said. “You can see why now I enjoy Almyran Pine Needles so much. It makes me think of home.”

Hilda slowly sat up, overwhelmed by everything Claude had told her. She felt his hand slide from her shoulder and down her back, but he otherwise didn’t try to hold her to him again. She looked down at her knees, her mind blank. She didn’t know what to say.

”So...now you know,” Claude said quietly. “You know all of my secrets.”

”I...” Hilda shook her head and closed her eyes. Tears still burned behind her eyelids and slid down her cheeks. She swallowed hard as she finally had the strength. “I...I never had a chance, did I?”

”What?” Claude asked her.

”You must hate me so _much_!” She cried, pressing a hand to her face. “I’ve said such horrible things about Almyrans! A-And I said them to you thoughtlessly!”

”Come on, Hilda,” Claude said with frustration. “I couldn’t hate you for that! You’ve had nothing but negative experiences with Almyrans! You personally know people who have lost loved ones in Almyran attacks! Plus your brother’s life is in constant danger because of these attacks! I mean, how else would I expect you to see Almyrans? I don’t think anyone could fault you for how you feel! I certainly don’t!”

“A-And you’re a prince!” She sputtered, still not looking at him. “You’re going to lead your country! I knew it was foolish to fall in love with you knowing that you were going to become Duke, but now I know that you’re going to become King and I feel even stupider! You probably h-have a betroth waiting at home for you, and I’ve been pining for you and l-longing for you! I told you how much I love you, but it doesn’t mean anything!”

Claude grabbed her arm. “Hilda, please calm down! I don’t have a betroth at home!” She glanced at him but she again couldn’t see him through her tears. “If I did have a betroth waiting at home for me, I would have _never_ slept with you! I wouldn’t have done that to her or you! I’m not that kind of guy! I keep my promises! If I was promised to someone, then I wouldn’t cheat on them! I would’ve broken off the engagement before sleeping with you because I love you too much to put you through that!”

Hilda stiffened, her mouth hanging open. A cold chill of shock shook her body, followed by the warmth of joy. “Y...” she closed the distance between them and leaned over him, careful of his injuries. “You...You _love me?_ ”

”Yes!” Claude burst out, obviously still frustrated. “I love you, Hilda Valentine Goneril! I love and yearn for you daily! I pushed you away because I love you! I don’t want you to die for me because I love you! I spill my secrets to you because I love you! You make me feel things that no one else has _ever_ made me feel! Just by being by your side I forget the world! Of course I love you!”

Hilda shivered, and suddenly she was crying again. She pressed a hand to her as she sobbed, the sounds hiccuping out of her throat. “Hey,” Claude said, his tone turning gentle. He used his uninjured hand to pull her down beside him again. “Shh, please don’t cry. Gods, do you know how horrible it feels to see you like this? To see you in pain, and to know that I caused it?” He nuzzled her face gently. “I’m so sorry. I swear I’ll never hurt you like that again. I love you. Gods, I need you and love you so much...”

Hilda clung to him, pressing her forehead against his. “Y...You make me feel things too. I’m so angry at you but I’m so _happy_ that you really love me! I-I’ve been wanting this moment for years! Do you understand that?!”

Claude hummed softly. “Whatever you need of me to gain your forgiveness, I’ll do it. I’ll grovel and kowtow. I’ll wait on you hand and foot. Just please know that I love you and I will never put you through that again.”

Hilda choked on a laugh through her tears. “You can’t fool me. You speak with such sincerity but I know you’re scheming something, Khalid...”

Claude stiffened, and he shook her slightly. “What did you say?”

Hilda blinked to clear her vision, and she saw that his eyes were wide and his expression frozen. “I...I said you were schem—”

”No.” he cupped her cheek with his right hand. “Y...You said my true name. Please, say it again.”

Hilda smiled softly and reached up to cup his cheek. She caressed the cheekbone with her cheek, and he leaned into the caress. “Khalid,” she whispered. “My Prince...”

Claude closed his eyes and groaned softly, the sound desperate. He pulled Hilda close and pressed his mouth over hers. He was still weak from his injuries, but the first taste of his mouth in five years caused a jolt in Hilda’s heart. She moaned harshly and dug her fingers into his hair, kissing him hard and desperate. They clung to each other as they lay in bed, their mouth sucking on each other and their tongues twining. Hilda was breathing harshly through her nose, and though Claude’s breathing was weaker it came out harshly as well.

Their kiss broke but their mouths moved against each other’s faces, kissing cheeks and eyes and foreheads. Hilda choked on another sob and clung to him. “I’ve missed you so much!”

”I’ve missed you too,” Claude said breathlessly. He groaned against her cheek. “My love...I want you to stay by my side forever.”

”That’s what I want too.” Hilda turned her head up to kiss him again.

The door abruptly opened without a knock, startling them both. “Is Claude aw—whoa!” Judith shouted. She quickly closed the door behind her. “Hilda, what are you doing? When I told you to take care of the boy, I didn’t mean hop into bed with him!”

”I-It’s not like that!” Hilda protested, quickly sitting up. “We were just kissing, that’s all!”

”Thank you for the interruption, Judith,” Claude said darkly.

Judith rubbed a hand over her face and scoffed. “Just...Lord Goneril said we could recuperate for a few days. We received word that the Kingdom Army was victorious at Gronder Field, but Lord Rodrigue Fraldarius was slain after the battle.”

”Lord Rodrigue?!” Hilda cried out. She looked at Claude. “T-That was Felix’s father!”

”After the battle?” Claude echoed, his eyes narrowing.

”An assassin attacked Prince Dimitri, and Lord Rodrigue took the killing blow for him,” Judith said. “The Kingdom Army and the Knights of Seiros have retreated back to Garreg Mach. We’ll also need to move quickly to get back to Derdriu, but we can do that once you’re in better health, Boy.”

”Don’t call me...” Claude shook his head impatiently. “W-Was there any word on Dimitri’s condition?”

”He’s injured, but alive. And...” Judith swallowed thickly before continuing. “T-There are rumors circulating that he tried to leave Garreg Mach last night to do a suicide charge towards Enbarr. However, it appears that Professor Byleth successfully talked him out of it, as there have been no sightings of Prince Dimitri outside of Garreg Mach.”

”Dimitri,” Hilda breathed slowly. “He...He didn’t go?”

”Correct. What’s more...remaining Kingdom forces have retreated from Empire and Alliance territories and are turning towards Garreg Mach. They appear to be focusing north—towards Fhirdiad.”

”I knew it,” Claude said, relaxing against the bed. “I knew Teach could save him. And not a moment too soon, because he was leading his army down the wrong path.”

“It’s one less thing for us to worry about,” Hilda said, sighing in relief. “If Dimitri has regained his sanity...then the worst of the bloodshed should stop. And he won’t attack the Alliance.”

”We have a lot to plan and prepare for,” Claude said, looking between the two of them. “But at least things are looking up.”

Hilda smiled and took his hand. “Yes...they are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just for food for thought: Everything that happens after ‘30th of the Great Tree Moon’ starts in this chapter was after Byleth used her final available Divine Pulse.


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is: the final chapter in Claude and Hilda’s falling in love saga. Thank you for the reviews and views, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter Three

_29th of the Garland Moon_

Claude tested his left arm’s mobility for the umpteenth time. He knew he ran the risk of aggravating his injuries further, but he carefully lifted his left arm as high as he could. He could not get his elbow above his head.

 _Damn it._ He lowered his arm back onto his lap. _Looks like I’ll need to avoid participating in the upcoming siege unless absolutely necessary._ _Being injured by a Heroes Relic really is no joke. I know that Teach only attacked me to save me from Dimitri, but damn is this inconvenient..._

He gently tugged on Gideon’s reins with his right hand, and his wyvern sailed towards the ground of Derdriu’s harbor. Finding a spot to land proved to be difficult though, because the entire populace of the capital city was packed into the harbor to evacuate onto the waiting ships. “Keep moving!” He shouted encouragingly. “The Imperial Army is expected to be here tomorrow! There’s room for everyone, so keep moving but don’t push or trample!”

”Boy!”

Claude bristled ever so slightly at hearing this shout, but he forced a smile as he saw Judith push her way through the crowd and race towards him. She was waving several documents over her head as she reached him. “Here they are!” She handed the documents to him as she smiled. “I cannot believe it! If I didn’t see the seals myself, I _wouldn’t_ have believed! But all of the lords are actually in agreement!”

Claude quickly scanned the documents, checking the signatures and the seals. He nodded and rolled them up. “Good. This will make things much easier for tomorrow.” He shoved the documents into his waistband.

“This...is quite surreal though,” Judith admitted, rubbing her forehead with a back of her hand. “The Leicester Alliance really is no more...”

”This war has caused irrecoverable damage to the reputation of our “Alliance”,” Claude said grimly. “When the Adrestian Empire declared war on us, that should’ve been the time for the noble Houses to unite together. Instead, they divided with some siding with me and the rest siding with Emperor Edelgard. And even with the allies that I _did_ have, the only House that showed up to the Battle at Gronder with me was yours Judith!” He paused before adding, “And House Goneril, but that was at the end of battle.” He shook his head. “A government with members so invested in their own self interests doesn’t deserve to keep standing. But at least the Houses agreed with me on _that_.”

”Well, it’s not like they had a choice. Siding with the Empire did _not_ earn those particular Nobles any favors, and now they have to comply with you if they want to stay alive. Now it’s up to you...Your Highness,” she said teasingly.

Claude smiled at her. “That’s a little better than ‘boy’ at least...”

”I couldn’t believe it though when you told me. Here I thought you were some punk swooping in to take the reins of our country—when in reality you’re the Prince of Almyra!” She laughed and shook her head. “You should’ve seen the looks on the nobles faces when they found out! The whole lot of them looked like they just sucked on a lemon!”

”Well, considering who’s supplied the boats for the citizens of Derdriu to evacuate, they can’t complain. But they probably will anyway,” he added. 

“Oi, Kiddo!”

”Oh, Goddess,” Judith said with exasperation as she caught sight of the familiar wyvern flying towards them. Claude waved as Nader landed right beside him, laughing throatily. He gestured to Judith. “Is this your lady love, Kiddo? Seems a little too old for you, eh?”

Claude saw Judith reaching for her weapon and a coughed hard and loudly. “Nader, you met her already. Remember? Fódlan’s Locket? You brawled with her brother for a _full hour_ , and then both of you got drunk and sang songs together all night!”

”Ah, right!” Nader laughed again. “He damn near broke my nose! It was great!”

“Not many people can face down Holst Goneril in a fight and say ‘It was great’,” Judith observed.

”I certainly couldn’t,” Claude muttered. It wasn’t a good memory. Hilda’s parents had accepted him probably in part because they saw how much their daughter loved him when he was brought to their estate. Claude suspected that Lord and Lady Goneril also accredited him with bringing Hilda home and away from the war, thus adding to their acceptance of him.

Holst Goneril, however...going to Fódlan’s Throat to tell Hilda’s brother everything and especially to warn him about the Almyrans who would be crossing the border... _that_ had admittedly been one of the scariest moments of Claude’s life. It had been surreal seeing Holst Goneril for the first time after hearing stories about him in both Almiyra and Fódlan. He was a giant of a man with thick muscles and scars, shaggy pink hair and _extremely_ intense eyes. For just one brief moment, when he smiled and laughed and hoisted Hilda up into his arms in a hug, he seemed like a harmless stuffed teddy.

It didn’t last.

Sitting opposite Holst, confessing his origins, confessing his feelings for Hilda and his intentions for her...Claude remembered how Holst just sat there and watched him in stone silence. He moved not a hair while Claude and Hilda spoke. No changes to his expression. He didn’t even look like he was breathing. When they finished, Holst still sat there very still. 

After several moments of still silence Hilda finally prompted, “Brother, please say something!”

Holst didn’t. Instead he slowly got up from his chair, grabbed the largest axe that was hanging from the wall—and threw it straight at Claude’s head. The rest of the night blurred together as it involved a _lot_ of screaming between Holst and Hilda, allied soldiers getting into shoving matches with each other because they all were picking sides, and Claude laying on the floor on his back staring up at the giant axe that had nearly cleaved his head while it was embedded in the wall. It was a miracle that the night ended with no fatalities.

_I...think I see now why people were too scared to court Hilda. Ah well._

Things were _much_ better now as far as Claude was concerned. After Holst and his men got acquainted with Nader and the Almyrans—the same Almyran soldiers they fought on a fairly routine basis no less—he mellowed out considerably. Claude was confident that he no longer had to fear for his life at least.

There was a ‘whoosh’ overhead and the three of them looked up. ”Ah, _there_ she is!” Nader exclaimed, pointing to Hilda riding her wyvern Matilda above them. “She really is a beauty!”

”And she knows it,” Judith muttered, giving Claude a slightly disapproving look. Claude ignored her and looked out over the ships in the harbor. The fleet of _Almyran_ boats. “Do we know how far along we are with the evacuation?”

”With this many people, the city should be fully evacuated in three to four hours,” Nader said.

”Boy,” Judith suddenly interjected, gently grabbing Gideon by the bridle. “Everything is in place. Since you insist on using yourself as bait tomorrow, I think you ought to turn in.”

”Turn in? Now?!” Claude exclaimed, looking at her. “It’s still daylight!”

”Yes, and the Imperial Army is going to be arriving in a few hours! If we’re lucky it’ll be tomorrow morning, but they might get a second wind and arrive during the night.” She paused before continuing. “We haven’t had any sightings of the Kingdom Army yet.”

”They’ll arrive,” Claude said confidently. “Dimitri and Teach won’t abandon us.”

”This coming from the same two people who tried to kill you two moons ago?”

”Things are different now, Judith.”

”...Just as simple as that?” Nader asked warily.

Claude smiled. “That’s right.”

”Regardless, since there’s been sightings of the Imperial Army but _no_ sightings of the Kingdom Army, it’s pretty clear that the Imperial Army is going to get here first,” Judith pointed out. “You’re our leader, Boy, and we’ll need our leader tomorrow. Go and turn in now and get a full night’s rest.”

”...All right,” Claude said reluctantly. “I’ll fly back to my residence and—”

”Wait, that isn’t what my meant! The Riegan residence is in the upper side! That’s quite a distance from the harbor! You need to bed down closer to the harbor!”

”I would rather bed down in my own bed. Besides, I have Gideon here.” He patted his white wyvern on the neck. “He can transport me between the harbor and my house in no time.”

”And what if the Imperial Army arrives while you’re at your house?! They’ll send archers after you both!”

”I will be all right,” Claude told her firmly. “I can defend myself just fine, and I will have Hilda with me. It will be quite difficult for the Imperial Army to kill me while she’s around.”

”Y...” Judith suddenly turned crimson and frowned deeply. Before she could say anything further Nader reached out and clapped him on the shoulder. His _bad_ shoulder. “All right Kiddo, I’ll escort you back to your residence! Would you like me to stay in your house overnight, to keep an eye on you?”

”No, Hilda alone should be enough.”

Nader gave a peculiar laugh and pulled on his reins. “So one young lady is worth more than me? Need I remind you Kiddo that I’ve never lost a fight?”

“You’ve never lost because you run away before losing,” Judith pointed out.

Nader coughed loudly and obnoxiously. “Let’s go, then!”

”You better get back here right away if the Imperial Army comes before morning!” Judith shouted to them as their wyvern raised them into the air. “Don’t make me come looking for you, Boy!”

”Okay, _Mom_!” Claude called back down to her.

”That wasn’t your mother!” Nader said, looking confused.

”Oh really, she wasn’t?” Claude teased. He pointed north. “My estate is this way.”

Claude led this way as they flew. Nader flew up beside him. “Well, now that we’re alone Khalid,” he said. “I wanted to tell you that I don’t like your plan.”

”You agreed to the plan already.”

”I, as an Almyran warrior, am not going to disagree with my prince in front of those people.” Nader reached out and grabbed Gideon’s bridle. “But you’re using yourself as bait in a pincer attack, Kiddo. If the Imperial Army makes it to the harbor, the only people you will have defending you are a Bishop, a Priest, a Sniper, and a woman that you’ve told us is going to be our future Queen. Furthermore, you’re planning on using this same woman as your _first_ line of defense! All the while you will have able-bodied Almyran soldiers on boats far away from harbor with the duty of protecting civilians! I want to know why you’re putting your life, and the life of your lady love, at such incredible risk!”

Claude forced a smile at him. “You should have a little faith in your future King, Nardel.”

”Should I place faith in a future Queen with the surname Goneril to protect your life?”

 _Ah._ “Is that what this is about? That you don’t approve of my partner?”

”Kiddo, I’m not going to lecture you on your bedfellows. That woman is beautiful, and despite her name she’s gotten the attention of a _lot_ of my men. But the people of Almyra know the people of House Goneril as a house that has killed a lot of Almyrans, and despite her beauty m—we do not like leaving our future King with only a Goneril as his lifeline.”

”Hilda is hardly my only lifeline. The Kingdom of Fa—”

”These other allies have not arrived yet. We’re all that’s here.”

”Nardel.” Claude dropped his mask and regarded him with seriousness. “House Goneril may have killed many Almyrans, but don’t forget that Almyrans have killed many from House Goneril. Both sides have suffered losses.”

”Kh—”

”Also, do not forget that just a couple of weeks ago you declared Holst Goneril to be “your new best friend”. You don’t want to disappoint your new best friend by insulting his sister, would you?”

Nader relaxed slightly. “...He is the best drinking buddy I’ve had for a long time,” he admitted reluctantly.

”You see? As for Hilda, she’s my first line of defense because I trust her with my life. She’s saved my life numerous times. Unfortunately she’s displayed an incredible lack of self-preservation regarding keeping me safe.” He hesitated before continuing. “I hurt her, to keep her safely away from me. It didn’t work obviously. She’s forgiven me, but I haven’t forgiven myself. I don’t relish putting her at the front, but she’s a formidable warrior and she will prove her worth.”

Nader looked at him for a long moment. “...Is she your first line because of your faith in her, or because you want to show her off?”

Claude smiled genuinely for the first time since they started speaking. “You haven’t seen her fight. It’s a sight to behold, really.”

Nader leaned in close, giving him a leveled look. “This isn’t grandstanding to spite our aristocracy, is it? You really love this woman.”

”Did you really think I publicly declared Hilda Valentine _Goneril_ my betrothed for the express purpose of creating political turmoil in Almyra? What do you take me for, Nardel?”

”It is _exactly_ something you would do.”

”...Fair enough. But you should reserve your judgment for until after we win tomorrow. All I ask is that you trust me.”

Nader was silent for a long moment before he let go of Gideon’s bridle. “...All right, Kiddo. But you should know that my men will be at the ready in case your plan falls apart.”

”It won’t.”

* * *

It was dusk by the time Derdriu was fully evacuated. The Almyran boats left with the civilians and Judith bunked down in an inn in the center of the city with the soldiers who would be guarding Claude in the harbor. Hilda offered to bring her back to the Riegan estate but she declined.

Hilda was struck by how...quiet the city was. As she flew with Matilda to Claude’s house she shuddered at the eerie silence. Never had the city been this quiet, even in the early hours of the morning, and certainly not at dusk.

_We’ll definitely hear the Imperial Army when they show up._

Hilda tucked Matilda in the stables with Gideon. She kissed her wyvern goodbye. “You be a good girl, okay? Tomorrow, we’ll be dropping you off at the main boat and then returning back to the city on Gideon. But I’ll take good care of us, I promise.”

Claude’s household had insisted on staying with him, and Hilda was moved by their loyalty to Claude. However Claude had insisted that everyone in the city had to evacuate, including the servants of House Riegan. When they left though, Claude made sure everyone had full coffers as part of their severance. 

_Severance..._ Just thinking that made her wince, but she shook it off.

She headed upstairs towards Claude’s bedroom. Her heart was hammering in her throat but she tried to keep her breathing even. _This is okay. This is okay. We’re going to make it tomorrow. Then after that..._ She reached Claude’s bedroom door, and didn’t allow herself to finish the thought. _Put it out of your mind, Hilda. There’s no use thinking about it now._

She knocked on the door. “Claude?” She called out in a carefully cheerful voice.

”Come in, Hilda!” Claude called.

Hilda walked inside his room and saw Claude standing in front of a table near the window. He was in pajamas but his top was unbuttoned. “How are Gideon and Matilda?”

“Content.” Hilda sat on his bed bench and pulled off her boots, leggings, and gloves. “I think they’re oblivious to how hard we’ll be working tomorrow.”

“I think they’re aware, but they’re indifferent. I made some tea, would you some?”

”Is it Almyran Pine Needles?” Hilda asked playfully as she stood up and walked over to him.

”Actually, it’s Chamomile. You like Chamomile, right?” He held out a teacup and saucer to her.

”It’s a good flavor.” She accepted the tea but set the cup and saucer down on the table. “Let me help you with that.” She moved closer to finish buttoning up his top. “How long did it take you to put this on? You could’ve waited for me.”

”Well, that idea makes too much sense,” Claude said jokingly.

Hilda smiled at him as she finished buttoning up his top, but didn’t move away right away. She instead turned to pour a cup for Claude. “Were you able to take a bath?”

”I haven’t been able to fully take a bath since Gronder,” Claude complained sarcastically. “But yeah, my housekeeper gave me a sponge bath and bandaged me up before leaving.”

”That was nice of her.” She offered him a teacup and saucer. “Is your wash basin still full? I would like to freshen up.”

”You know where it is,” Claude said, winking. “Don’t forget your tea.”

Hilda took a sip of Chamomile, and the delicious tea warmed her senses before she went over to Claude’s wash basin. She washed her hands and splashed the cool water on her face. “Have you listened outside? It’s so quiet.”

”We might as well enjoy the silence now while it’s here.” Claude drank from his teacup before continuing. “Tomorrow will be the last test. I expect everything to go as planned.”

”Last test?” Hilda turned around to face him.

”Dimitri’s last test,” Claude clarified. “He wasn’t himself at Gronder Field, but the fact that he stopped his rampage to go and liberate his country’s capital is a good sign. The fact that the _entire_ population of Fhirdiad rioted in support of Dimitri and not against him is another good sign. Now, for all intents and purposes, he’s coming to save me instead of kill me. We’ll have to wait and see what he does when Teach and him arrive.”

”You sent the letter of help before the Kingdom Army arrived in Fhirdiad,” Hilda reminded him as she moved back over to him.

”That’s because I knew that he would be successful,” Claude agreed. “It’s bittersweet that Teach chose the Blue Lions over Golden Deer, but ultimately it was the best thing for Dimitri. With how unstable Dimitri was...” he shrugged stiffly. “I honestly don’t think he would’ve survived without her. He probably would’ve died at Gronder Field if she chose me, because nobody would’ve been able to pull him back from the abyss. And of course had she chosen Edelgard, then Teach probably would’ve had to kill Dimitri herself in the Emperor’s name.”

”That’s the sad truth,” Hilda said quietly. She took another sip of tea. “Of course, that’s assuming the Professor would’ve chosen to side with Edelgard over the Church. Edelgard is so divisive though. I think had she chosen the Black Eagles, she could’ve turned on Edelgard to save the Church.” She paused before continuing. “But then Dimitri probably would’ve ended up dead anyways.”

“ _I_ might’ve ended up dead if that happened,” Claude mused.

”No, you wouldn’t,” Hilda said firmly. “I wouldn’t have allowed it. Just like I won’t allow you to die tomorrow, Khalid.”

Claude set his teacup and saucer down. “Hilda?”

”Yes?”

”If something goes wrong tomorrow, I want you to retreat.”

”I’m not retreating!”

” _Hilda_ ,” Claude said sharply, looking at her. “I expect you to do your best tomorrow, but I do _not_ expect you to die tomorrow! If you’re injured, then you retreat! If you’re cornered, then you retreat!”

”Claude, I’m guarding the bridge to the harbor!” She shot back. “If I retreat, then your life and the lives of the soldiers who will be with us will be forfeit! Once I take my place in front of the bridge, I’m not leaving that spot! If the Imperial Army has to step over my dead body to get to you, so be it!”

”Damn it, Hilda!” Claude slammed his good hand on the table. “You are not dying tomorrow and that’s final! This is an order!”

Hilda smiled thinly at him. “I think you should know by now that I’m not good at taking your orders, Claude.”

”Just in some regards?!”

Hilda blinked slowly upon hearing that. Claude seemed to realize what he said and within seconds they were both laughing. The tension in the room immediately dissipated, and Hilda waved a hand as she brought herself under control. “I’m not going to die tomorrow, Claude. I’m too stubborn to die. Don’t worry about me. Holst worries enough about me as it is.”

”Yeah, don’t remind me.” Claude laughed again as he picked up his teacup again.

Hilda set her teacup down again. She looked down towards her bare feet as an uncomfortable feeling suddenly settled over her. She fidgeted slightly and wrung her hands. _No. I can’t say it. I shouldn’t bring it up. But..._

Finally, she spoke. “Khalid?”

”What is it?”

“...Will you really be leaving after tomorrow?”

”I have to,” Claude responded. His tone was firm with conviction. He gulped down the rest of his tea. “The ships are Almyran ships after all. After the Kingdom saves Us and we return the citizens of Derdriu back to the city...I’ll be leaving with the boats and going home. You know this Hilda, we’ve talked about this.”

Hilda slowly closed her eyes and nodded. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I’m not looking to cause another argument with you when we’ve already had this conversation. You’ve already told me that you would be leaving.” Her fingers squeezed each other tightly. “And...I know that you don’t want me to come with you right now.”

She swallowed hard, and she hated herself for the sick turmoil in her heart. She didn’t know what had compelled her to bring it up _now_ of all times, especially after they had such a heated argument about whether or not she should retreat from tomorrow’s battle. When they returned to Derdriu the previous moon, they had a long conversation about their future. Claude had made it clear to her that once the Alliance agreed to dissolve and join the Kingdom, he was going to leave. He would leave, and she would not be coming with him.

Hilda knew that. She knew that and agreed because she wasn’t ready to just and up and leave Fódlan to go to Almyra. She wasn’t ready for the utterly daunting task of being a queen, especially for a country whose culture she did not know or understand. The people of Almyra deserved better than the person she was now. She needed to be better.

_I know this. I know all of this. But I just reunited with Khalid, and now we’ll be separated again..._

A hand grabbed her chin and lifted her head up. She opened her eyes and forced herself to look up. Claude had come over to stand directly in front of her. She was taken aback by his tender expression. She had expected him to be furious with her for blindsiding him with such an emotionally sensitive topic the night before Derdriu would be under siege. Especially after such an emotional argument.

”I love you,” he said softly.

Hilda reached up and pressed her hand over his. “I love you, too.”

”I have to leave Hilda, but I swear on my life that I’ll come back for you. I don’t want anyone else at my side but you. All I ask of you is a little patience. I want to make preparations to create a better world. And I have to work hard to be a king worthy of my people—and worthy of _you_ , Hilda. When that time comes, we can be together forever.”

Hilda felt tears stinging her eyes but she held onto her composure and nodded stiffly as she looked up into his green eyes. “I...I’ll work hard too. Y-You probably don’t believe me when I tell you that because I hate hard work, but I’m going to work as hard as I can to be a queen worthy of your people.”

” _Our_ people,” Claude corrected her in a breathless tone. Hilda managed a smile and nodded again. “Our people, Khalid.”

Claude abruptly sank down before her. Hilda’s eyes widened when she realized that he was on one knee and he took her left hand. “This may feel redundant because you already accepted my marriage proposal, but I wanted to give you a proper proposal...with a fitting ring.” He slid a ring with a green gem in the center onto her finger. Hilda pressed her free hand to her mouth. “Ah good, I got the fitting right,” he sighed with relief. “Fódlan has a unique fixation on having green gemstones on their engagement rings. But when I saw this ring I immediately thought of you.”

Hilda held up her hand and looked at the ring. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest and tears stung her eyes. “This...This looks like a green sapphire!”

Claude smiled proudly as he slowly stood up. “Excellent eye. I intend on giving you a second engagement ring from Almyra when it’s time for me to ascend the throne, so that you can have the absolute best from both Fódlan and Almyra.”

Hilda stuck her tongue out at him. “Well, I _deserve_ the absolute best!”

”Would you be satisfied otherwise?”

”Hey!” Hilda swatted him on the arm playfully, but Claude winced and grunted in pain. Hilda gasped in horror as she realized that she hit his injured arm. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry, Cl—ah, Khalid!” She moved closer to him, her hands raised and hovering close to him. “Le—I’ll get a healer, please hang—”

Claude launched forward and wrapped his good arm around her waist. “No you don’t.” His tone was low but dangerously playful.

Hilda resisted being pulled up against him, her hands still hovering. “Are you okay?” She asked him quietly.

”Never better.” He bent his head down and kissed her. Hilda’s knees buckled at the contact, and her hands finally settled onto his hips with a gentle touch. The arm around her waist slid up her back to cup her shoulder while the hand from his injured arm pressed over one hand on his hip. The movements of their mouths against each other was slow and gentle brushes, contact brief spurts and broken with soft sounds. Gradually their mouths opened to each other, the strokes of their tongues still gentle as he coaxed her with pressure on her shoulder to move closer to him. She obliged, their body touching very slightly as her free hand left his hip and reached up to cup his cheek.

They broke the kiss breathless, and Hilda closed her eyes. Their mouths were still trying to seek each other. The familiar tightness and longing vibrated through her body. It had been five years since she had felt this response in her and she shivered. She was close enough to Claude that she could feel the heat of arousal from him and her heart pounded harder.

Since she reunited with Claude they had kissed many times; sometimes it was just for a quick second, other times they lay side by side in his bed and kissed for a long time while their hands gently caressed each other. But they obviously had no further physical intimacy besides the kissing because of the severity of Claude’s injuries. Injuries that Claude was still recovering from.

But...

”Are you all right?” He asked.

Hilda nodded and sucked on her bottom lip. His eyes watched the motion as she stroked his cheek. She saw the longing in his eyes and smiled dangerously. “M...Maybe we shouldn’t,” she said, deliberately making her tone flighty. “You’re still injured, and—”

Claude groaned harshly, the sound almost anguished, and he closed his eyes. “Please. I beg of you to not torture me tonight of all nights, Hilda!”

Hilda laughed, and she carefully interlinked her fingers with his injured arm reassuringly. “I’m sorry,” she said with playful sarcasm.

”Mmm.” Claude didn’t open his eyes and turned his face towards the hand on his cheek. His lips found her thumb and sucked the tip into his mouth. Hilda stilled and watched him gently suck on the digit. He opened his eyes partially, and her toes curled into her shoes when she saw his expression. It was erotic and—and so _seductive_ that she swallowed hard. “I’ve missed you,” she said breathlessly.

Claude smiled and slowly released her thumb. “I’ve missed you too.”

It was unspoken what they wanted to do, but the need to join their bodies was so intense they they didn’t need further words to convey the desire they felt for each other. But, Claude was still recovering from his injuries. Hilda understood this perfectly and kept the motions slow, touches gentle. They kissed with increasing restraint, and Hilda almost felt dizzy from holding herself back as to not cause him further discomfort and pain. Claude was shaking from the willpower he exerted on himself as to not overdue it, but his hands touched her body and his mouth pressed kisses all over her face. Their bodies remembered each other’s touches and the desire burned hotter. Hilda stood on her tiptoes and stood with spread legs because lower body pulsed and ached with anticipation of connecting to Claude.

She steered them towards his bed, and Claude’s hand slipped up her skirt. “Ooh!” She squealed when she felt his fingers rubbing her through her undergarments. In the moment her mind went blank; liquid fire radiated from her groin and she grabbed his shoulders carefully to arch against his hand.

”Oh damn,” Claude said, a slight note of alarm on his tone. “Y-You’re almost—!” He swiftly yanked her small clothes down her thighs and frantically rubbed her with his hand. Hilda cried out and thrusted to his movements, and white flashes blinded her vision. She arched her body back as her release snapped through with fire-hot pleasure. She trembled with powerful aftershocks, gasping and groaning harshly. Claude was also panting from exertion, and he carefully pulled his hand from her. He sat her down on the bed, and reached for a washcloth on his side table to clean his hand. “Are you okay?” He asked her.

Hilda took a moment to catch her breath and removed her small clothes with shaky hands. “I...I don’t know what came over me. It...” she shook her head and flushed. “I haven’t been touched like that since we...” she trailed off.

Claude gave her a small smile, his expression gentle. “Then...I guess we have a lot of catching up to do tonight.”

”Yes, we do.” Hilda quickly stood back up and leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss Claude. The kiss took him off-guard, and Hilda shoved her hand down the front of his pajama pants and grabbed his penis. It was hot and pulsating in her hand, and Claude broke the kiss with a low groan. “You’re almost there too, Claude.”

”Nnngh!” With two quick jerks of her hand he jolted and released inside his pants. Hilda gasped in shock and quickly withdrew her hand to help him pull his now soiled pants off. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that. I was just trying to tease you.” She smiled up at him. “I guess you wanted me badly too, huh?”

Claude laughed breathlessly and pulled her back to her feet. “I’m sure you’ll find a way to make it up to me.”

They still restrained themselves for Claude’s physical wellbeing, but now that they were fully aware of the depths of the desire they felt for each other their movements were a little quicker now. Hilda carefully unbuttoned his pajama top and Claude hissed quietly as she eased it off his shoulders. There was still bandage wrap around his torso and shoulder, but his left arm was at least not bandaged. Hilda moaned softly as she kissed him, and she used one hand to rub his chest and play with his right nipple. Claude sighed as he broke the kiss again and arched his head back as she kissed his neck. “I...never understood why men have nipples,” he mumbled. “For women it makes sense but men?”

Hilda giggled and tugged on the hardening nub. “But this feels good, doesn’t it?” She bent down to run her tongue over it. Claude gasped harshly and shivered before pulling her up for another kiss. She could feel him hardening against her and leaned back to break the kiss. “Get into bed so I can probably take care of you.”

”No please?” Claude teased her, but complied and laid down on his back in the middle of his large bed.

Hilda slowly climbed into bed after him, leaning over him. “I’ll make you say ‘please’ quite a bit tonight.”

”We’ll see about that,” Claude promised.

Hilda smiled down at him. He leaned up for another kiss but she leaned away from him and reached behind her head and pulled the clip that fastened her top. Claude eyes drifted down as she shrugged off the straps of her dress and pushed the material down to expose her breasts. Claude reached up with his good hand to pull her close, and his mouth was quickly on one of her breasts.

Hilda sucked in a sharp breath and sighed shakily as he cupped her breasts and rolled the nipple in his mouth. She felt delicious pulses from the strokes of his mouth that intensified as he carefully reached up with his left hand to cup and rub her other breast. Her eyes slid closed and she moaned softly as she kneeled over him, bracing her hands on the bed. “Ah!” She arched her head back and saw white flashes behind her closed eyelids when he moved to her other breast and tugged hard on the nipple with his mouth. His hands slid up over her bare shoulder blades and pulled down in her encouragingly to lay on top of him.

Her pink hair fell around them both even while still tied back, but she reluctantly shifted her body down, freeing herself from his mouth, and she carefully climbed on top of him. “Tell me if I’m hurting you,” she warned him before kissing him again. With their increasing arousal the restraint had waned, and they kissed each other hard. Their bodies were remembering how good it felt to kiss, to touch—to be joined, and Hilda broke the kiss with a soft moan as she felt her groin clench and tighten in anticipation. She could hear a voice in the back of her mind pleading, _Please, now, I want him inside me,_ but she didn’t want to give in quite yet. This wasn’t just sex between them; this was the first time they’ve had sex in five years. And the first time they’ve had sex since confessing their love for each other. This was true lovemaking between two people who desperately loved each other.

And...she knew this may be the last time she would be joined with Claude for a long time.

She was still careful, despite Claude’s reassurances. She trailed her lips down his body, using her hands to stroke his muscles in the way that she remembered would get a response from Claude. He twitched and sighed beneath her, one hand rubbing her hair as she pressed kisses along his navel. She leaned back as she looked down at his erection as it laid hard and thick on his lower stomach and she licked her lips in anticipation. She remembered all of the times she had pleasured Claude with her mouth, the surge of power and pleasure she had felt when she heard him moan and move against her. He had been adverse at the thought of releasing in her mouth, and though she honestly hadn't minded she was moved that he thought of her wellbeing even in the throes of his release.

Now, though...she looked back up at him and smiled dangerously. She moved so that she was positioned between his legs, but when her mouth descended upon him before she made contact she inhaled deeply, and blew a long breath straight over the tip.

Claude choked and shivered and his penis twitched as she teasingly inhaled again and blew over the tip again. Claude dugs his nails into the bedspread and looked down at her. "Hilda," he said warningly. "You told me to warn you if you were hurting me."

Hilda looked up at him. "Is my teasing hurting your injuries?"

"...No," Claude admitted very reluctantly.

"Ah, so it's because you're so hard you need my mouth on you?"

"If that's what you want to do."

"What I want to do," Hilda said in a teasing voice. "Is teach you a lesson." 

Claude went still and stared at her in stunned silence. She blew her breath straight down his length and he jolted again. "You could've had _this_ for the last five years, had you not pushed me away. I could've been by your side, and we both wouldn't be so wound up from not being together." she rubbed his inner thighs up and down with both hands. "...Are you sorry, Claude?"

"I already told you that I was sorry."

"That doesn't sound like an apology." she leaned down and very carefully brushed a delicate kiss to the underside of his penis. Claude moaned loudly this time, but when his hand reached for her she held it fast. "Are you sorry?"

Claude was panting hard, and she could see that he was leaking. She moved her head to press kisses into his inner thigh. "Are you sorry?"

"Yes, I'm sorry!" Claude finally snapped, leaning up slightly. "I'm sorry, Hilda, as I've told you! Now please, do not torture an injured—"

Hilda spread his legs wide and leaned down down. Her hand found his sac and she rubbed it in her palm before moving her mouth against it. She heard Claude huff in pleasure and lay back down on the bed. His fingers rubbed her hair encouragingly. "Oh, you're too good to me," he breathed softly in relief.

 _Yes, I am,_ she thought smugly as she decided to stop teasing him and put him out of his misery. She leaned up and quickly pumped him in her fist, earning more sharp groans from him before she finally took him in her mouth. He was hot and thick and she recognized his taste as she quickly bobbed her head up and down over him, flexing her jaw as she squeezed around him. She moaned throatily and loudly for the stimulation, and he trembled violently beneath her. Her teasing had pushed him to the brink and now with her mouth around him he was at the edge.

Claude panted and groaned, though he hissed and winced when he tried to thrust into her mouth. “Don’t stop, I’m okay,” he quickly pleaded in a soft voice, though he hugged his torso with his right arm. Hilda reached up to grab his left hand, and their fingers intertwined as she worked over him fast and hard, seeking to get his release as quickly as possible to avoid causing him further discomfort. She fondled his sac again with her free hand, and the flesh inside her mouth twitched and jolted. Claude’s body shook and he shouted as he came, spilling himself into her mouth. Hilda didn’t slow the movements of her mouth and continued to rub his sac until he was finished and relaxed back against the bed.

Hilda sat up and wiped her mouth, in time to see Claude try to roll over and fumble for the nightstand. Hilda shook her head at him and got up to pull open the drawer. “What are you looking for?”

”Medicine,” Claude rasped, his tone almost helpless. “I’m not letting this injury interfere tonight.”

Hilda nodded her understand quickly found a vial. “Vulnerary.”

”Good.” 

Hilda handed it to Claude and he quickly drank it down. Hilda took the opportunity to finish taking off her dress and sliding it down her body. When she straightened, standing fully nude at Claude’s bedside, she saw that he was watching her. She smirked and him and struck a pose. “I know. I even shock myself by how beautiful I am.”

Claude laughed loudly at that. “You’ve always been dangerous in more ways than one, Hilda.”

”Yes, I am.”

He gestured to her. “Come here.”

”Please?” She teased him.

Claude made a face. “Please.”

She smiled in victory and climbed back into bed with him. She leaned down to kiss him, but he caught her shoulder and held her still. “No,” he said. “Move yourself up here.” He gestured to his face.

Hilda stared at him, and felt heat on her face as her heart pounded. “Claude. Are you suggesting...?”

”Yes, I am,” he said unashamedly. “The Vulnerary has taken the edge off the pain, but I still can’t maneuver the way I want to. But I’m not going to leave you hanging either, so...”

Hilda looked away briefly, her breathing uneven. It was something she had never done before. She was aware of what he was asking of her. At Fódlan’s Locket she had unwilling overheard soldiers of House Goneril brag about doing this. They had seemed to enjoy it, and from the way they had sounded, the women they had done this with had _really_ enjoyed it. The idea...did intrigue her.

”It’s okay, Hilda,” Claude reassured her, bringing her attention back to him. “It’s just us here. I want to make you feel good.”

”...All right,” said she finally. She slowly sat up. “You’ll tell if I’m hurting you or if you can’t breathe, right?”

”Don’t worry, I’ll let you know.”

Her face still felt hot as she grabbed the top of the headboard to hoist herself up. Her heart was pounding as she swung a leg across his shoulder, her body open to him in front of his face. He slid a hand up and down her thigh. “Closer,” he said softly.

Hilda closed her eyes as she complied, sinking down lower. She gasped throatily when she his tongue press against her. Her thighs twitched and jolts of hot pleasure vibrated through her as his mouth kissed and sucked at her folds of flesh. “Oh,” she moaned softly, breathing sharply as she rested her head against the headboard. His hands rubbed along the back of her thighs and pressed down on her backside, encouraging her to settle fully on his face. She obeyed, and arched her head back as she felt a delicious ribbon of pleasure hum through her body.

Her sitting position on top of him made it easy to move with the motions of his mouth. She rolled her hips against him, moaning and sighing as Claude’s tongue rapidly flicked at her nub. Her hands left the headboard to rub and squeeze her own breasts for added stimulation. “Ooh,” she breathed, her head still arched back. “Haa...”

Hilda felt his gaze burning on her up her body, and she stiffened slightly when she felt a slick finger rub against her. She grabbed the headboard again and tried to angle her body in the right way. “Yes,” she moaned softly. “Oh, please...”

Claude hummed, seeming to take a victory from hearing her use the word, and Hilda cried out as she felt the finger ease slowly into her body. Her muscles stretched around the digit, and she felt just a slight discomfort from the penetration. She knew though that it shouldn’t have surprised her since the last time she had sex was five years earlier. The finger retreated slowly and flexed inside her gently before sliding back inside with the same tender strokes. “Oh Goddess,” she whimpered, the pulsating sensation overwhelming her.

”You’re so tight,” Claude whispered. He pressed a tender kiss to her inner thigh. “You’ve been neglected for too long...”

”It’s your fault,” Hilda panted, gripping the headboard tightly. When the finger moved back inside her she thrusted her hips against it and she sighed throatily at the familiar tendrils of pleasure that came from it.

”I’ll make it up to you.” With that said, Claude pressed his mouth back over her nub and sucked it hard and fast in his mouth as his finger pumped inside her. 

“Oh!” The stimulation of his mouth and finger filled her with hot pleasure. Forgetting herself in the moment she rode his face and slammed down with the motions of his finger. Her inner muscles were remembering the pleasure this man had brought to her body before and were now welcoming the motions of his finger inside her. She let go of the headboard and arched her back, bracing her hands on the bed as she rolled her hips against him. From the new angle she could see Claude’s face buried between her legs and his hand jerking hard and fast against her. She gripped the bedspread in her fists as pooling heat filled her lower body. “K...Khalid,” she moaned, the sound loud and whining. She arched her head back. “I-I’m gonna—”

Claude responded by slamming his finger in and out of her and pulling hard on the nub with his mouth. “OH! Aaaaaaaah...” Hilda pressed down hard against him as she reached her peak, pleasure flooding her whole body as she trembled. Her hips continued to twitch and thrust against him in aftershocks, and he kept up the motions to further stimulate her until her body relaxed.

She was still shaking as she climbed off him and sat beside him on the bed, her breathing uneven. She felt his hand stroke her arm and she smiled. “That was...amazing.”

Claude smiled back at her. “You’re welcome.”

Seeing his smile abruptly filled her with heat once more and moved over to kiss him. She knew she still wanted more.

_I’ll never get enough of him._

* * *

Pleasuring Hilda like that was one of the most erotic things Claude had ever done, and seeing and hearing her responses, watching her move against him like that, had filled him with so much heat that he was fully hard again without her having touched him. But he knew by the way she kissed him afterwards that she needed more like he did.

”I need you,” she whispered against his mouth, giving him confirmation. She climbed on top of him. “I’ll be careful.”

”Don’t hold yourself back on my account,” he said, rubbing his hands up and down her body. The Vulnerary had taken away the pain but he was still aching. But he didn’t care if the medicine wore off, he would abide the pain if it meant he could make love to Hilda. “I’ve missed you,” he breathed again.

”I’ve missed you, too,” Hilda responded, grabbing him in her hand and rubbing his tip against her entrance. His eyes almost crossed and he rubbed his hands over her hips. He panted, his heart pounding strongly in anticipation as he watched him move over her. He had felt how tight her body was around his finger, and admittedly he was relieved he started with that instead of his penis as it meant her body was now more relaxed and ready for him.

 _She really did take no other lover during this time._ Not that he had doubted her, but the confirmation that she had abstained from sex for five years like he had warmed his heart. And made him feel incredibly guilty, especially since he intended on leaving her again after tomorrow.

_But I won’t think about it now. For right now, we have tonight and each other._

Hilda groaned softly, and Claude gasped sharply as she finally pressed over him and enveloped him with her body. Her body welcomed him, tight and wet and hot, and he gripped her hips as she sank down over him. ”I love you,” he groaned.

Hilda laughed softly as she settled down fully on top of him. “Are you only saying that because I’m so good?”

Claude narrowed his eyes at her and dug his hips into the bed before snapping them up against her. He didn’t feel the sting of pain from the motion, which relieved him, and he smirked when he saw her eyes roll back from the motion. “Don’t you love me too for being so good?”

”Yes,” she breathed. She leaned over him. “I love everything about you." they kissed briefly before she leaned back up.

The bedroom filled with the sounds of their rubbing skin and pants and moans. It had been five long years since the last time their bodies were joined in lovemaking, and the sensation now felt so good and sweet that Claude almost felt tears sting his eyes. His right hand cupped her breast while his left held her waist as she moved over him, riding him fast but also carefully because of his injuries. The bed bounced underneath them soundlessly and he carefully rolled his hips to perfectly match her thrusts. Each time their groins met he felt pulses of pleasure and he swallowed hard as he grunted. "Mmm. Mmm." Both hands slid back to cup her backside, gripping the perfectly smooth globes as her body rose and fell over him, squeezing him in just the right way. His eyes wandered between her flushed face etched with pleasure and her full bouncing breasts before they slid closed from the mounting sensations. His legs were spread and his feet planted against the bed to give him leverage as he pounded up into her. Her breathing was becoming heavier and she moved harder against him, and he knew she was close to her peak.

Claude then groaned desperately, his motions becoming frantic as he felt the pooling delicious heat in his lower body. He opened his eyes and looked down, panting heavily as he saw his penis glistening and swollen with arousal to the point of bursting, gliding in and out of Hilda’s body with their quickening movements. He looked up at her and met her gaze. “Hilda, I...” he huffed sharply and his eyes closed briefly as his pleasure mounted with the heat. “I-I’m about to—” speaking proved to be difficult, especially since neither of them were slowing their movements. He forced his eyes open to look at her. “I want to...can I?” It was all he could manage and he prayed that she understood what he was asking of her.

Hilda paused briefly, and her smile was so loving and beautiful that his toes curled against his bed. She leaned down over him and kissed him deeply. They were both moaning and panting against each other’s mouths from the increasing sensation of their joined bodies. Claude rubbed and squeezed both hands over her backside encouragingly as she moved her hips against him, engulfing him up and down with slow teasing strokes. She broke the kiss and leaned back up slightly. When she spoke over his mouth, it was in a whisper. “Go ahead.” Then while gently pressed over him, her movements abruptly picked back up, slamming her pelvis down on him with hard and frantic movements.

Claude groaned with relief and increasing arousal and kissed her again. One of his hands left her backside and slid between their bodies as his other hand move to her hip. He began rubbing her quickly and her brow furrowed as her panting became even heavier. Hilda was now moving so fast and so hard on top of him that his hips were pinned to the bed with each slam of her lower body onto his. “Oh! Haa! Ooooooh!” She arched her head back, clenching her fists into Claude’s pillow. Claude bent his head down to suck one of her red nipples into his mouth. The added stimulation was enough to push her back over the edge. She screamed and shook violently with her release, and Claude rasped at feeling her clench him tight in her wet heat.

Panting harshly with an open mouth he placed both hands on her hips and thrusted up quickly into Hilda’s body while she still trembled in the aftershocks. The friction was just right and Claude looked down at their joined bodies again before he looked back up at her face as he panted and groaned. He was there, he was so ready for this...and with a smile Hilda rolled her hips to match his motions and and squeezed around him welcomingly. The fire-hot pleasure ripped through him upon his final thrust into her body. He arched his body and shouted, jerking his hips upwards erratically as he finally, _finally_ fulfilled his secret and forbidden desire to release inside her. After so many times of catching himself, having to pull out at just the right moment, and near misses—climaxing while her body still cradled his felt so _good_ and so right. 

_There. Yes. Oh, yes..._ He groaned throatily through clenched teeth, the sound almost like a sigh of relief, as he rubbed his hands over her thighs. His hips twitched up against her and her muscles clenched and unclenched around him as though looking to milk him dry. He was still shaking as the euphoria subsided, but his breathing evened as his body relaxed against the bed.

Hilda climbed off him and collapsed beside him in bed, but he pulled her in carefully for a kiss. They were exhausted and so the kiss was slow, but they didn’t want to stop touching each other. When the kiss was finished Hilda gathered up the blankets and tucked Claude in. Then she curled up beside him and they snuggled close together in the warm afterglow. It was the first time they had sex since they confessed their feelings for each other. Sex between them had always been good, but it had never felt like this.

They were both certain they would remember this night for the rest of their lives.

Claude nuzzled her face with his eyes closed and his lips met hers again briefly. “I’m sorry. I’ve wanted to do that for years...”

Hilda hummed softly and held her mouth against his. “What a coincidence. I’ve wanted it too.”

Claude stared at her stunned for a moment. He swallowed thickly before speaking. “If you become pregnant—”

”Don’t worry, Claude. There’s a chance, but it’s not the right time of month for me. I think we don’t have anything to worry about. And even if I did become pregnant, I would love being pregnant with your child.”

He pulled her in for another kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

”Please...promise me that you’ll take care of yourself tomorrow. If I lose you, Hilda...” he let his voice trail off.

”I’ll take care of myself,” Hilda promised him, curling up at his side. “But you promise to take care of yourself too. I don’t want to lose you either. Hopefully Dimitri and the Professor will arrive in time...”

”I’ll take care of myself plenty. And don’t worry about Dimitri, he’ll be here in time.” Claude said it with full conviction...because he wanted to believe it in his heart.

* * *

Morning came with the same eerie silence over Derdriu. Never had the capital city been so quiet for so long. 

Claude could sense the tension with the Alliance soldiers who had stayed behind to defend the city, but he was in _exceptionally_ high spirits that morning. _Everything will work out. Dimitri and Teach will arrive in time._

”Kiddo.”

Claude’s head snapped around as he saw Nader approaching from the open waters through the morning mist. He forced a smile of nonchalance. “Oh good morning, Nader. Are you stepping outside of the plan to check up on me? How nice of you.”

Nader landed his wyvern down beside Claude and Gideon and he leaned in close so that only Claude could hear him. “That took a lot of guts, retiring to your house on the eve of a siege just so you could bed your lady love.”

Claude revealed nothing on his face. “I don’t quite know what you’re talking about.”

”You’ve been grinning like the cat who ate the canary since you arrived at the harbor,” Nader pointed out. “And I noticed that your lady has been walking funny. _She’s_ been all smiles too. You both obviously had _quite_ the evening with each other.”

“Nader—”

“But if a roll beneath the sheets makes the pair of you more effective warriors, I won’t complain.” He laughed loudly.

Claude glanced briefly in Hilda’s directly before turning back to Nader. “If that’s all you have to say, please do as I ordered and get back to the boats.”

”Well actually, I came here to tell you this.” He suddenly looked serious. “You’re our future King, Khalid, and the fleet is on edge with the fact that our future King is using himself as bait like this. If your friends do not show up in time, or if we think your life is in danger, then we _will_ intervene.” He paused before continuing. “And you should know that my men will _not_ forget it if we have to intervene to save you.”

Claude knew what his words implied and he nodded curtly. “You guys should have a little faith, eh? Don’t you trust me at my word? Or have you lost so many times that you’re not used to victory?”

Nader abruptly put Claude in a headlock. “You’re mouthy as usual, Kiddo!”

”Ow, let me go! I’m still injured, remember?!”

A horn blast echoed through Derdriu. Nader immediately let Claude go and he hoisted up Failnaught. “The Imperial Army is here,” he said gravely. “Get back to the boats now!”

Nader frowned deeply. “Guard your life, Kiddo. And guard your lady love’s life too.”

”I will.” He saw Judith racing towards him, not even pausing to speak to Hilda on the bridge. “Everything will work out.”

* * *

Hilda watched Judith conversing with Claude over her shoulder before turning back around to face the city. She could hear the pounding footsteps of the Imperial Army marching in unison in the streets of Derdriu. “...You said your name is Fritz, correct?” She asked, addressing the Alliance Sniper standing at the ready behind her without turning around.

”Yes, Milady,” came the response.

”Are you a resident of Derdriu?”

”Born and raised, Milady.”

”Any family?”

”I just got married. My wife’s on one of those boats in the harbor.”

”Oh, congratulations. How long have you served in the Army?”

”Since the war first broke out. I was at Gronder Field, Milady.”

_”I don’t care whose side she’s on! If anything happens to her, then you can explain to Lord Holst what happened to her!”_

_Ah, I knew I recognized his voice._ ”Good,” Hilda said with a smile. “Then I don’t need to tell you how important it is that we stand our ground here. We cannot allow the Imperial Army to harm the Duke, however I don’t intend dying here today. I’ll handle the soldiers that attack from the front. Can I rely on you to handle the reserves that follow?”

“Don’t you worry, Milady. I won’t let the enemy get through, and I won’t let you die.”

”Thank y—”

”Because if anything happens to you and _I_ survive, I’ll have to answer to Duke Riegan _and_ Lord Holst for your death,” Fritz added. “Believe me, I would much rather be dead than do _that._ ”

Hilda rolled her eyes and hoisted Freikugel onto her shoulder. “I’ll be fine, just don’t forget to take care of yourself. You wouldn’t want to leave your wife a widow, now would you?”

“Absolutely not, Milady.”

Judith ran across the bridge and past them. “The Kingdom Army is here, take care of the Boy,” she quickly told Hilda, not pausing in her running to retake her position deep in the city.

”Oh thank the Goddess,” Hilda sighed. She forced a smile at Fritz. “See? We’re already off to a good start. All we have to do is survive long enough for Dimitri and the Professor to reach us.”

”Aye, Milady.” Fritz quickly armed his bow. “I see Imperial soldiers.”

”As do I.” Hilda turned back around, held Freikugel in both hands, and planted her feet as she spotted one Fortress Knight and three or four soldiers of the “Hero” class breach the harbor’s open gate and advance on them. _I’m not moving from this spot,_ she thought with conviction.

”Hey, you’re late!” She heard Claude shout behind her. “Hurry up and help!”

_Oh good, he must see the Kingdom Army. Of course, if he can spot them from his current position, then the Kingdom Army hasn’t breach the city yet. Ah well..._

The Fortress Knight held the lead on the Heroes, advancing on them with his axe at the ready. Hilda knew what he was doing; he was the diversion, meant to keep her occupied locked in combat, while the Heroes attacked.“Leave this guy to me,” she said to Fritz. “Try and aim for one of the Heroes in the meantime.”

”I’m ready, Milady.”

When the Fortress Knight was within five meters of her, Hilda deliberately let out a dramatic huff. “Claude’s nuts!” She called out loudly. “Asking me to protect the bridge! That’s so much responsibility!” She grinned when she saw the Knight pick up the pace with his advance. “But they guy’s so helpless, I feel sorry for him. So, I’ll do what I can to protect him.”

The Knight heard her words and continued to quickly advance. He thought that she wasn’t taking this seriously. Hilda smiled dangerously and readied Freikugel as the Fortress Knight swung his axe at her. He swung from the top, but instead of swinging from below she raised Freikugel and deflected the blow with the hilt. The Heroes Relic effortlessly kept his weapon at bay, but she felt his superior strength over her. She couldn’t meet his eyes through his helmet, but she looked over his armored body...and saw an opening. She looked back up at him, and she heard his breath hitch as he realized that she had no fear of him. “I’m make you regret invading my country,” she told him darkly.

Then raised her foot and slammed it as hard as she could into his groin. The soldier yelled in pain behind his helmet, and Hilda took advantage of his sudden vulnerability to surge to the right, taking the Fortress Knight off balance and sending him straight into the water. With his heavy armor, he had no chance of resurfacing. “Next!” She called out cheerfully to the advancing “Heroes”. They hesitated for just a moment before four of them charged her at once.

Fritz’s arrow struck one in the throat, but the other three began to zigzag as they charged them. “I’ve got this!” Hilda announced, though her heart pounded uncomfortably as she realized they intended to surround her. _Keep calm. You’ll stay alive that way, Hilda._

They attacked her from three sides, but she moved quickly to dodge their swords, like she was dancing between them. They swung and stabbed at her, but they couldn’t get her. She heard Fritz cursing violently behind her as he tried to aim another arrow in close range, and she thought she heard Claude say something far away, but she kept her attention on the “Heroes” who had her pinned. With one swing of Freikugel she decapitated one soldier, and grimaced as his blood shot up into the air. Fritz fired another arrow and it went through a solider’s hand. While he was distracted Hilda aimed for his head, and Freikugel sliced straight through his helmet and embedded into his skull.

 _Oh my Goddess, this is disgusting._ She tried not to gag as she pulled Freikugel free, but the Heoes Relic caused the man’s head to explode and spray brain matter and pieces of skull onto her and the remaining “Hero”. This time she couldn’t help but dry-heave, but she recovered herself in time to jump back into Fritz to avoid the Hero’s attack. Fritz aimed again, but Hilda full of rage swung her Heroes Relic and sliced the Imperial soldier across the middle, his entrails spilling onto the ground. 

“Where’s the Kingdom Army?!” She demanded, coughing to prevent herself from vomiting as the Hero fell dead at her feet. She felt a surge of power over her and realized the Bishop had healed her. “Thank you!” She shouted over her shoulder.

”Judith’s surrounded!” Claude called out. “And more Imperial soldiers are arriving! They’re trying to save her, and secure the entry points so no more soldiers get in!“

”Well we’re on the offensive at least!” Hilda glanced over her shoulder. “You okay, Fritz?”

”Yes, Milady. Are you?”

”Never better.” She saw more Imperial soldiers coming and raised Freikugel. “Your turn!”

”Right!” Fritz readied his bow and fired arrow after arrow at the advancing soldiers. None were struck down but several were seriously injured. “I’m down to two arrows, Milady!”

”Save them!” Hilda readied herself for the next wave, but then she saw the soldiers quickly retreat south into Derdriu. Within seconds she heard the loud sounds of combat and she nearly collapsed in relief. _That’s the Kingdom Army! They’re getting closer!_

She saw movement ahead of her and readied herself. A lone man on horseback was riding towards her unafraid. He wasn’t wearing armor. She stiffened as she realized who this was. This was Volkhard von Arundel. This was Emperor Edelgard’s uncle. And he was riding straight towards them!

”Fritz,” she said warningly.

”Right!” Fritz fired an arrow, but Arundel raised his hand. With a burst of light the arrow bounced off an invisible barrier around him. Before Hilda could warn him not to fire again, Fritz fired his last arrow. Arundel again deflected the arrow effortlessly. Hilda looked down at one of the corpses surrounding her and frantically yanked an arrow loose from the Hero’s hand and shoved it behind. “That’s your last one, save—”

”Nothing bites so hard as a cornered rat, eh?”

Arundel’s cold statement made the words die in Hilda’s throat. She saw him raise his hands, and a purple light glowed around him, and then her. In the moment she could only think to do one thing—jab Fritz hard in the chest with her elbow and push him into the water. Then, she saw a flash of two dark orbs and she screamed as pain ripped straight through her body from her head to her toes. The spell was instantaneous, and when it faded she was left swaying on her feet as her skin smoked. She gripped Freikugel with both hands so that she couldn’t drop it

“ _Milady_!” Fritz shouted when his head bobbed to the surface. Hilda’s vision was hazy, but she saw that he was empty handed as he floated in the water. _He must have dropped his bow when I pushed him. Oh, damn._ “S...Swim to shore!” She stammered to him. “T-That’s an order!”

”Mi—”

” _Hilda, look out_!” Claude shouted, and Hilda looked up. Arundel had not moved closer but he was getting ready another spell. Before it impacted she herself enveloped with another healing spell from the Bishop, but the pain from the spell this time caused her to fall to her knees. She saw droplets fall from her head and splatter onto the ground and she groaned in dismay. _Oh no, I’m sweating! I hate sweating!_ She wiped at the sweat on the ground and idly looked at her glove. And went still. _...Oh. That’s not sweat. Uh oh..._

She saw Fritz trying to frantically climb out of the water. “C—Claude!” She shouted weakly. “Fritz is unarmed! T-Tell him to retreat!”

”Both of your retreat _now_!” Claude shouted, his tone desperate.

Hilda was healed with another healing spell, but Arundel attacked her with more dark magic. Both the Bishop and the Priest weren’t able to heal her fast enough before she was attacked again. He had moved closer to her, and she realized with dread that he was coming in range of Claude. “You...bastard!” She snarled through clenched teeth. She used Freikugel as leverage to stand up onto unsteady legs. “I'm...not going to hold back! I can't let down my _dear old Claude_!”

With a scream she lunged at him, swinging her Heroes Relic at his head. Arundel however pulled on his horse’s reins and the animal _jumped_ away from Hilda. He fired a quick spell at her and it hit her in her left shoulder and chest. She went flying backwards and slammed onto the ground, nearly falling into the harbor. Hilda rolled over onto her side with a groan and coughed. Blood spilled out over her chin.

Arundel raised his hand again, but yelled as a red arrow shot straight through his palm. “HILDA, RETREAT!” Claude shrieked, aiming Failnaught while visibly recoiling in pain. He had flown Gideon closer to attack Arundel. The Bishop casted a healing spell on him while the Priest quickly sent a healing spell to Hilda. “T—That was my last one!” Hilda heard the woman scream in alarm.

”Mmm...” Hilda struggled into a sitting position, and she saw her left arm hang at her side limply. She couldn’t get it to move. _That’s...not good. But I still have my right hand so I can still..._ Her vision shook violently and she swayed where she sat. Her entire body hurt so much that she almost burst into tears. The front of her face felt wet, but she knew she wasn’t crying. _Oh...Oh no. I think..._

Another spell hit her. She knew it had, but she didn’t feel any pain from it. She knew that wasn’t a good thing, and she couldn’t keep her eyes open. _I—I’m dying. Oh, no, I’m going to...die. I p-promised myself that I wouldn’t die for something el...oh, Khalid will never forgive me..._

“Now! Hidden soldiers, attack!”

Hilda opened her eyes, but she saw nothing but blurry red. _W...Where did these soldiers come fr—I have to get up. I have to—_

She tried to stand, but she didn’t have the energy and collapsed partially laying down on the ground. She looked up, and saw Arundel looking down at her. She closed her eyes, because she didn’t want his face to be the last thing she saw. Instead she focused her mind on the previous night, and the way Claude had looked at her when he said the words, “I love you”. _...It's been fun, Khalid... Sorry to go so soon..._

A battle cry unexpectedly startled her, and she opened her eyes. _Wha..._

Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd was lunging at Arundel’s back, swinging his Heroes Relic Areadbhar at his back. Arundel successfully dodged the attack, but the Imperial Lord was now surrounded. The Kingdom Army raced into the harbor, quickly engaging and dispatching of the reinforcements. Hilda’s heart lifted when she saw Marianne von Edmund racing towards her, her hands already glowing. “Physic!” The healing spell cleared Hilda’s head immediately, but made her acutely aware of the incredible pain in her body. She felt two hands grabbed her left arm and she yelped in pain. The hands abruptly released her and she heard another familiar voice yell,” Heal!”

Hilda still ached all over though as the hands grabbed her right arm and hoisted her up. She looked up and could’ve died with relief at the person she saw looking down at her. “P-Professor!” She squealed weakly. “It’s been t-too long! I was hoping you’d show up...”

”We’re here now, Hilda,” Professor Byleth reassured her. “You’re going to be okay.”

”S-Seeing you puts a spring in my step!” Hilda laughed, collapsing against her. “Come on, time to give ‘em the Hilda treatment!” She tried to hoist Freikugel up, but her Heroes Relic slipped out of her hand.

Larger hands suddenly grabbed her and pulled her away from the Professor. She almost recoiled in alarm until she recognized Raphael Kirsten holding her. She suddenly found herself hoisted up into the air, Raphael holding her right over his head. “Here, Claude!” He shouted. He took a few running steps and _threw_ her!

She slammed into an unyielding but soft surface, and she heard Claude grunt as he cradled her in his arms. “I missed that face!” He called out. “And you’re just in time! Thanks for that!” Hilda saw Ashe Ubert and Ignatz Victor help poor Fritz out of the water as she sighed in relief.

”Are you all right, Claude?” Byleth asked him quickly, casting another Heal over the both of them. 

“Professor,” Claude said with full seriousness. Hilda quickly opened her eyes to look at him. _Professor? Not ‘Teach’?_ “If you had chosen me instead of Dimitri...”

Byleth went still, and a look of pain briefly crossed her face. “I’m sorry,” she said sincerely. “But I believe that it was the best choice.”

”...No, I shouldn’t dwell on it,” Claude agreed. “I’m grateful you came. I’m glad to have your strength, if only for today.”

The rest of the Imperial forces were dead, and Lord Arundel was the only one left standing.

”You’re OK!” Dimitri shouted to Claude. Hilda’s jaw dropped as she got a good look at him. The shadow under his eye was gone, and he was looking back at them with a gaze full of clarity. “Can you still fight, Claude?”

 _E-Even his voice is clearer!_ She quickly looked between Dimitri and the Professor. _O-Oh my Goddess. She saved him! She really saved him!_

Claude answered him with a loud laugh and a wink. “You barely snatch me from the jaws of death, and now you’re recruiting me! You sure know how to inspire loyalty, Your Majesty!

”Sadly,” he continued with a serious tone, hugging Hilda to him as best as he could. “I’m not free to move here, for many reasons. You’ll have to repel the Empire without me...”

”Leave it to me!” Dimitri said, nodding.

Marianne continued to cast healing spells on Hilda, and even Flayn joined her. Hilda was already starting to feel better, but not fully healed. Dimitri advanced on Arundel, his Areadbhar ready. “You would raise a weapon against your uncle?” Arundel said coldly. “You’ve grown into a savage of a man, just like your father.”

 _UNCLE?!_ Hilda recoiled in horror at hearing this. Claude however did not visibly react. To her further surprise, she saw the Blue Lions react with shock and confusion as well.

”You are rather calm for one in your position,” Dimitri answered him sagely. Not denying Arundel’s words. “Or did you forget that this a battlefield?” He shook his head. “Perhaps this is no time for words, Uncle. There will be time for that after we have settled things here.”

The two quickly engaged in battle, and the Kingdom Army stood back. Arundel threw spells at him but Dimitri was quick on his feet and swung Areadbhar at him. Hilda was further relieved to see Dimitri’s movements in combat. He was fighting with more rationality and greater self-preservation. _He’s back. Dimitri really is back!_

Then Arundel made a mistake. He readied a Quake spell, but Dimitri jumped high into the air and swung Areadbhar up. Arundel shouted in pain as the Heroes Relic sliced deep into his right shoulder, and his blood sprayed into the air as he fell off his horse.

But...

But as Arundel grasped at his shoulder, swaying on his feet, his—his body changed. His visage seemed to _flicker_ and within seconds the body of Volkhard von Arundel was gone. Standing in his place was a man with pasty white skin, white hair, dark clothing, and dark eyes.

”W-What the...” Dimitri sputtered in horror. Everyone around them was reacting in shock. Hilda glanced up at Claude, but was sitting frozen and gaping.

Professor Byleth suddenly surged forward to stand at Dimitri’s side, readying the Sublime Creator Sword. “YOU!” she shrieked, her uncharacteristic shout startling the people around her. “You stopped me from saving my father! My father is dead because of you!”

”Guh...” the stranger nursed his shoulder with his left hand and glared at Byleth. “Your very presence...has foiled our plans yet again...”

” _Who are you_?!” Dimitri shouted, pointing Areadbhar at the stranger. “Where is Lord Arundel?! Where is my uncle?!”

”...I am Thales,” the stranger admitted, forcing himself to straighten up. “Descended from Agartha. Enemy of the false Goddess. I will...bring about the new age.”

“By the Goddess!” Ferdinand von Aegir shouted as he steered his horse closer. “It was always you! Not Lord Arundel! You used his face like Solon used Tomas! Like Kronya used Monica! You killed Lord Arundel and took on his appearance as they had! Because of _you_ , my father...” he growled in rage, and bent his head forward slightly as he clenched his teeth. Hilda was certain she had never seen him so angry before. He finally looked back up, snarling in rage and anguish. “Does Edelgard know that you stole her uncle’s face, you bastard?!”

Thales laughed softly. “That...foolish little girl. So full of ambitions and so easy—to manipulate. S...She really thinks she’s liberating the people from the _evil Church_...”

”Enough of this!” Dimitri shouted. “We will have answers, and we will have them NOW!”

Thales was preparing to cast another spell, and the ground glowed beneath Dimitri, but Byleth lunged forward. The Sublime Creator Sword formed as a whip and she screamed as she struck Thales down with a single blow.

”Un—no, _Thales_!” Dimitri hollered. He dropped his Heroes Relic and knelt over Thales, grabbing him by his collar and hoisting him up. “I need to know! The incident nine years ago...You were involved, weren’t you?!”

Hilda knew what he was talking about and her heart clenched in her chest. _The Duscur Tragedy..._

”You know something!” Dimitri shook him violently. “What did Cornelia...No.” he sucked in a painful breath. “What did my stepmother do?!”

Thales laughed wheezily, and he stared straight up into Dimitri’s eye. “You...are not qualified to look into the darkness...You and Edelgard...Do your best to _kill each other_.” He laughed again until he choked, coughing up blood. “You are...family, after all.” 

Dimitri shook him again, but he let out another loud wheeze. “There it is...the light...” and went slack under Dimitri’s hands.

Hilda looked at Claude. “H—Is Dim...” she winced as she became aware of the pain in her body once more.

Claude looked down at her. “We need to settle a few things. I’m furious with you for not retreating. You almost died.”

Hilda forced a smile at him. “But—the Kingdom Army arrived in time. I’m still alive.”

”But seriously injured. Let’s go see Dimitri now. We’ve learned a lot of new things today, and I...” he snapped his teeth sharply. “I don’t like it.”

* * *

“You really did come to help us...You must be a bunch of soft-hearted suckers, eh?”

The Almyran ships were retuning to Derdriu to return civilians home it would take hours for everyone to disembark and return home. While this was going on, Claude directed Dimitri and the Professor to come with him and the other members of Golden Deer to the inn that Judith and the other soldiers stayed in the night before. He saw Hilda was leaning on Marianne heavily and still favoring her left arm, and he felt a surge of anger seeing her so injured.

_But...she looks better than she did earlier at least._

In the inn, Dimitri and him sat down in the parlor and talked as though they were old friends and not as though they had faced each other on the battlefield two moons earlier. But as far as Claude was concerned, that was water under the bridge since Dimitri had marched his Army straight to Derdriu to save them from the Imperial Army. All to save them.

_I was uneasy, but he passed my test. Dimitri has regained his sanity. And I can trust, with Teach by his side of course, that I will be leaving Fódlan in very good hands._

“What do you mean?” Dimitri asked, looking confused.

”As of today, the Leicester Alliance is no more,” Claude told him confidently.

“Just what are you planning, Claude?”

Claude reached into a satchel and pulled out the documents Judith had given him yesterday. “If you’re going to lead Fódlan, then the Alliance lords will follow you.” He held out the documents to Dimitri. “I’ve already gained the support of the other lords at the roundtable conference, so you can stop looking at me like I’m crazy. As you’ll see here, the lords of the Leicester have pledged to rejoin the Kingdom of Faerghus.”

”Claude I cannot accept that!” Dimitri cried out, jumping to his feet. “I-I did not come here to annex the Alliance! I came here to save you from the Empire!”

”That you did,” Claude said, nodding. “But do you intend to leave Fódlan the way it is? Do you think three countries who have fought each other over the course of five years can simply return to normal once this war is over? If you intend on keeping the peace, then you must realize that a fully unified Fódlan is the only pathway to peace.” He shrugged. “Besides, back in the day the Alliance split off from the Kingdom. I’m just putting us back together again. All that’s left...is for me to officially step down as the leader of the Alliance.”

”I...” Dimitri looked stricken and quite uncomfortable. “Claude, I...” he swallowed hard.

”Prince Dimitri,” Hilda said, carefully standing back up. She bowed to him. “As a member of House Goneril, I pledge my House to the Kingdom.”

Dimitri stared at her, but Lysithea von Ordelia stepped forward next and bowed. “As a member of House Ordelia, I pledge my House to the Kingdom.”

Judith stepped forward and bowed, though Claude saw that she was frowning. “As a member of House Daphnel, I pledge my House to the Kingdom.”

Marianne meekly stepped forward and bowed. “I...As a member of House Edmund, I pledge my House to the Kingdom.”

Lorenz Hellman Gloucester stepped forward last. Claude saw the immense pain in Lorenz’s face and for a brief moment he felt bad for his former classmate. _I...did want him to rule the Alliance before this war happened, after all..._

But Lorenz faced Dimitri and bowed. “As a member of House Gloucester, I...pledge my House to the Kingdom.“

Dimitri stared at all of them as Claude stood up and signaled to him. “As Head of House Riegan, I hereby resign as Duke and turn the Leicester Alliance over to the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus.” He offered his hand to Dimitri and smiled. “I leave this land in your capable hands...Your Majesty.”

Dimitri’s eye was shining with unshed tears. Professor Byleth slowly stood up and took one of his hands. He looked at her, and she gave him a smile and an encouraging nod. Dimitri looked back at Claude, and took his hand with his free one. “...Thank you, Claude. I swear on my life I’ll take care of citizens of the Alliance as my own people.”

”I know you will.” Claude held onto his smile as they released their hands, but he still felt discomfort in the core of his being. _There’s...still a lot that I have to do._

* * *

Claude went upstairs to the only occupied room in the inn and knocked on the door. “Hilda?” He called out.

”Come in!” She replied.

He opened the door. Marianne was getting up from her seat at Hilda’s bedside. Hilda was sitting up in bed, and her arm was still in a sling but her complexion looked leagues better than it had hours before. “I-I’ll leave you two alone,” Marianne stammered. She was already blushing as she headed for the door.

”It was lovely to see you Marianne,” Claude said, keeping his tone gentle.

”A-Ah, thank you. I was glad to see you too, Claude.” She smiled at him, which caused him to freeze in his tracks as she left the room and quietly closed the door behind her.

”S...She smiled!” he exclaimed, looking at Hilda. “I’ve never seen her smile before!”

”Neither had I,” Hilda agreed, smiling back at him. “She told me Sylvain first taught her how to move her mouth into a smile—and then Ferdinand taught her how to maintain her smile! Isn’t that sweet?”

Claude shook his head and walked over her. He leaned down and kissed her briefly, but she grabbed his nape with her free hand and pulled him back for a deeper kiss. He groaned quietly and slid his eyes closed, savoring the feel of her mouth against his.

_Oh, how I’m going to miss this. But first..._

Hilda broke the kiss, but when Claude pulled away he saw that she was no longer smiling. “Are you here to say goodbye to me?”

”Actually, no,” Claude said, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. “After everything that’s happened today, I decided to change my plans for the time being.”

Hilda blinked with confusion. “Change your plans? How so?”

”Instead of returning to Almyra with the fleet, we’re going to sail south. There’s something about Aru—Thales, that has given me a bad feeling. I feel like my business in this country isn’t quite done yet.” Claude smiled at her. “And seeing as you’ve gone through so much with me, I was wondering if you would like to join me.”

Hilda leapt forward and grabbed his sleeve. “Yes! I absolutely want to go with you!”

”Hang on, I haven’t fully explained my plan to you. And you still have your injuries, but we’ll take care of you on the boats.”

”What do you on plan on doing?”

Claude leaned in close to whisper to her. “We’re going to get Lady Rhea back.”

”Huh? B-But that’s what Dimitri and the Professor are doing! If that’s the case, then you should ally with them and march on Enbarr with them!”

”Oh no, what I have planned is going to take a degree of subtlety. If everything goes according to plan, then the Emperor and her Army will be sufficiently distracted by Dimitri and _his_ Army. That should hopefully allow us to sneak in and get her back.”

Hilda shook her head slightly. “I...It sounds like we’re using them as bait. But if that’s the only way we can do things...”

”We’ll go in and get Lady Rhea,” Claude said. “And then perhaps we can get some much needed information from her. Such as who are all these people that are walking around wearing other people’s faces. Monica, Tomas, and even the Emperor’s own uncle! Something deeper is going on besides Edelgard’s ambitions, and we’re going to find out what.”

Hilda smiled. “I like the sound of this. I’ll support you no matter what.”

”That’s just what I wanted to hear.” He pulled her in for another kiss. “The boats are ready. I know you’ll be leaving without consulting your parents or brother, but I’ll keep you safe. I swear it.”

”You don’t need to keep me safe, and I don’t need my parents or brother’s permission to go anywhere. I’m an adult and I’m choosing to follow the man I love.”

Claude smiled. “And I choosing to keep the woman I love by my side.”

* * *

It was difficult to say goodbye to her friends, but Hilda was glad to at least say goodbye to them this time. She noticed though that Claude refrained from telling Dimitri where he was going or what his plans were, so she also kept quiet.

_If this works out, it will benefit everyone._

Claude did give Judith a long hug goodbye, and Hilda was admittedly moved by their friendship. Judith and House Daphnel in general after all had been Claude’s steadfast ally all throughout the war. She was glad that Judith had Claude’s back when so many other Houses didn’t. Judith however looked wary she when looked at Dimitri, however she visibly relaxed when the Prince spoke with her amiably. Hilda found Byleth and made sure to give her a hug. “You were right,” she told her. “Thank you so much for pushing me to join Claude!”

Byleth was smiling when she released her. “It was where you belonged.”

“Just like how _you_ belong at Dimitri’s side.” Hilda took immense pleasure at seeing Byleth blush at that.

Since the citizens of Derdriu were still disembarking from boats, they would be taking only one on their quest. Once they boarded the boat the sail was cast, and the ship sailed out of harbor. Hilda checked on Matilda and Gideon, who she could see below deck, and they were both asleep. As she straightened she found herself being grabbed from behind. Before she could react she was spun around and came face-to-face with Nader. The older man was grinning widely as he pulled her close and kissed her straight on the mouth. Hilda immediately formed a fist to punch him in the face when he pulled back and swept into a full bow prostrating himself before her. “Oh, my Queen! You magnificent, deadly, beautiful woman you! I pledged my life to you! I will be at your beck and call until the day I die!”

She gaped at him for a moment until she saw movement behind him. He eyes widened as straight down the ship every soldier and sailor knelt down and bowed to her. Hilda flushed slightly, and turned as she saw Claude approached. “I...”

”They all saw you fight, and they saw how you defended me,” Claude told her, sliding an arm around her shoulders. “As you can see, they liked what they saw. They are accepting you as my betrothed, and their future Queen.”

Hilda looked back out over he ship and swallowed thickly. “...Wow. I’ve never seen so many men prostrate themselves to me at once!”

”And of course you’re loving every minute of it,” Claude teased.

Nader jumped back up to his feet and addressed Hilda. “I mean it, my axe is at your command at any time My Lady. If anyone bothers you, I’ll make sure they regret it.”

”Yeesh, calm down a bit!” Claude interjected with a laugh. “You almost sound like you want to propose to Hilda!”

” _I’ll_ marry you if he won’t!” Nader immediately agreed.

Hilda laughed and showed him her ring. “I’m flattered, but I’m already spoken for.”

”Aw, damn it.” Nader pretended to pout.

Once everything settled on deck, Claude insisted that Hilda retired to their cabin so that she could rest. Hilda admittedly _was_ feeling fatigued and sore but she didn’t let it show until they were below deck. However when she leaned against Claude she noticed him flinch ever so slightly and it reminded her that _he_ was also still injured. So when they climbed into bed to relax, they were seated side by side with their backs against the headboard, very much aware of their injuries.

”Concoction?” He offered her. He had two in his hand.

”Yes, thank you.” Hilda drank half of her vila in one gulp. The pain in her left side dimmed ever so slightly.

”Well, we have a lot of work ahead of us,” Claude said. He drank his vial before continue. “First order of business is to head south and find Rhea. With any luck we’ll find her and get some much needed answers to questions that I have.”

Hilda rubbed at her forehead before finishing off her vial. The pain was not so bad now. “I’m glad you invited me with you Khalid, but...I have a bad feeling that things aren’t going to be simple for us.”

”Nothing is ever simple,” Claude agree. “We just have to _make_ it simple.”

Hilda rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. “Hopefully we’re still not licking each other’s wounds when we _do_ find Lady Rhea.”

”Yeah, nursing injuries isn’t as fun as...never mind.”

“Well, I can’t argue with that.”

Claude laughed at that before sobering. “We’ll get things settled here in Fódlan. Then I can go and make my dream come true. Then...” he rested a hand on her knee. “Then we can be together.”

Hilda smiled against his shoulder. “I’ll work hard, too. Holst already told me he would help me. I’ll familiarize myself with the history of Almyra and the country’s culture, and I’ll work hard to be the queen they deserve.”

”Well you’ve already won the hearts of military personnel, so I’d say you’re off to a good start.”

Hilda laughed and cupped his cheek. She leaned up and kissed him on the mouth. “I do love you. I hope you don’t get tired of hearing it, my King.”

”Do you hear me complaining?” He kissed her back. “I love you, too. Let me know if _you_ get tired of hearing it, my Queen.”

”Not a chance.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know; sorry. That ending sounds like a hell of a cliffhanger. But this saga was about Claude and Hilda falling in love after all.
> 
> But don’t worry, you’ll see them again. :)


End file.
